Once upon a Hungergame
by stravvberry and Miss-Almond
Summary: As my knees collapsed under the burning sensation at my neck I could only hope I would stay on my plate. Since being blown to bits isn't a great way to die. Not that it mattered much I didn't stand a chance anyway. No, this would be their story not mine
1. Chapter 1 Play nice

_Female District 4_  
_Ashton Thomas  
__Partner: alive_

* * *

**Play Nice  
**  
I saw the metal poker coming at me, but couldn't react fast enough. Before I knew it there was this terrible burning pain at my neck. I cried out some not very ladylike words and tried to grab the freaking poker to do god knows what to it, but the damn glass chose that second to close around me.  
In my anger burst I tried to smash the glass in while growling in frustration but offcourse the glass didn't burst a crack. I could hear a buzz and felt the metal plate tremble before it carried me up. Momentarily forgetting the poker and the burn on my neck I was focusing on the task ahead of me. This was it. This was what all my training had been for, for the Hunger Games.

I knew I would only have a few seconds to orientate myself when I was up and before we were aloud to move. Most of the tributes were probably still thinking about if they should go for the cornucopia or not, but not me.  
I was clearly a carreer with my buff trained body, and well fed curves. I could break any skinny poor district girl over my knee, not that anyone else, anyone less trained couldn't do that. I mean have you seen those girls on t.v.? They should get some freaking food into themselves if they want to stand any chance in the games. But what did I care? They are just small, or rather thin, obstacles between me and the real challenge, the other carreers. I mean offcourse we would first team up and work together to rid us of the other competers but at the end we would go against each other. The ones who had trained for this they're entire lives.  
I slip my brown hair in a pony tail with the elastic band I always kept on my wrist and try to imagine the cornucopia with my weapon inside it. I knew I could fight with pretty much anything due to my training but I also knew I was at my deadliest with my killing weapon. The weapon that would make me unstoppable and there for I had to get it. If I had my trident I would win these games for sure. It would be as easy as breaking the neck of one of those poor district girls. So I needed to get to the cornucopia fast and shake of any attacks that may come in my way.

I felt the breeze catch my hair and the blindingly sharp light reach my eyes before the metal plate beneath me came to a abrupt stop. I squinted my eyes and held my hand up to try to block the sun. An all to familiar voice screeched threw the arena announcing the start of the hunger games. I let my eyes adjust while trying to look ahead already seeing the outlines of the cornucopia not so far ahead of me. I could see lots of green so knew we were in some kind of forest. And saw a smal lake at the edge of the clearing. We were all standing in a circle around the cornucopia that I could see clearly now. It was about half a mile away, I could get to it fast enough.  
I remembered my burn then and tried to look at it but the damn thing was at a blind angle so I couldn't see it. Well if it was important some of the carreers would say something. I could here some of the others moaning in pain and concluded that they got burned as well. I briefly wondered what that was all about when the freaking blind idiot who was only two plates on the left of me was screaming out in pain and had falling on his knees. Unfortunately he had stayed on his metal plate, I would've loved to see some flesh spraying around, especially his. I tossed all these thoughts to the back of my mind focusing on my sprint to the cornucopia.

As Claudius Templesmiths voice stopped there was complete silence in the field we were all standing in, well except for freaking blind boy. I could see Thane standing some what across of me and couldn't help but smile, God that boy looked like a beast with his bronze buff body and golden short hair. I love the fact that he was buffer then me cause that was really hard to find. Most boys ran screaming when ever I tried to make a pass on them. But not Thane, he just laughed his big white smile and flexed his arm muscles for me.  
The bong rang and I wasn't prepared to run. Distracted by Thane's killer muscles which I could still feel on top of me. It didn't matter much though I was a fast sprinter and probably would be one of the first at the cornucopia anyway.

I ran to the middle of the field as fast as I could but saw that the girl from district 5 would get there faster then me. It didn't matter though, she would get something and run if she liked her life enough to keep it.  
As she reached the cornucopia I saw a confused look on her face as she stared at the cornucopia for a second then shook her head and ran away with a backpack and a flask. I wondered how much of a fool she was for not taking a weapon. But maybe her game plan was to survive rather then kill. I reached the cornucopia just when she left, I tried to crab her but my fingers only caught air.  
I saw that Helene was nearly at me and though I knew we were both in the pack the look on her face told me she wouldn't come here in peace. So I stuck my hand in the cornucopia planning to smash any object my fingers could grab against her. It worked, I got a sleeping bag and hit her right in the side. She rolled to the ground hitting her head against the edge of the cornucopia making a noise no head should make. She laid there still probably unconscious. And I saw that Erix was not far behind me and though I knew he would be part of the carreer pack I still grabbed for something else hoping for a weapon this time. I knew that the other carreers would be pissed if I killed Erix now but couldn't help it. It just wasn't right that we were letting him and miss sponsorship into the carreer pack I mean they weren't even from the right district! Erix was annoying anyway with his quiet, sarcastic, mysterious and okay sexy (if you like the slim muscular type) ways and besides he was a sexist. Though I was bigger and buffer then him he still treated me like any other girl, like I was below him.  
My hand was already moving towards him with whatever was in my hand but I only realized what it was when I pointed it at him and saw it was a cereal bar.

'What your going to kill me with a cereal bar?' He asked with a smurk on his face raising one eyebrow.

'Well she did nearly kill someone with a sleeping bag so I wouldn't put it pass her' Daemyen said with his arms crossed smiling his signature crooked smile while standing at the side line clearly holding no interest in the cornucopia and just looking how it will all play out.

Erix just smiled shrugging his shoulders while flipping his shoulder lenght blonde hair back 'Move woman' He firmly pushes me aside and in my confused state I fall over.

Confusion was taken over my irritation and anger soon though. Not even for the cerealbar thing but that he still called me woman after I said to him, quit a few times, to call me by my name.  
I let out a scream and flung my whole body into him, we stumbled to the ground wrestling each other for a minute when we are both grabbed and pulled away from each other. I was still screaming when Thane held me to his body which calmed me down a bit.

'My name is Ashton!' I yell at him

'Calm down babe' Thane whispers in my ear. I shake him of and start to walk back to the cornucopia.

'Okay so since we're the only ones left and we are going to be a team why not let every one pick their own favorite weapon and arrange all the food and other stuff' Caine says while walking to the cornucopia as well.

I like Caine he's always nice and caring making calm in the chaos. Even by just looking at him you can see he's a good person. With his short gingerhair that he always combes down the side, his freckles that only seem to be by his nose and his round face that seems totally out of place in these games. I wonder how he came to be a carreer since he doesn't look the part. But if you see him handling a knife or bow and arrow or just about anything you can clearly see his skilled. Makes me wonder if he could kill someone.

Everybody slowly reaches the cornucopia even Daemyen who seemed to have no interest in it before. Caine kneels down by Helene gentle brushing her dark brown hair out of her face.  
'I think she will be okay. She can probably hear us and will come by any sec. now. Why did you lash out like that Ash? We're all in the pack remeber a truce untill decided other wise' He slowly looks up at me clearly acusation in his face.

I let out a heavy sigh planning to ignore it and walk to the cornucopia but half way deciding otherwise. Feeling the need to defend my actions.  
'Come on! She was clearly planning on attacking me. I had to stop her some how. Isn't my fault that she bumped her head'

'I wasn't freaking attacking you I was trying to get to the other girl. The one who got there before you'  
Helene grumbles slowly getting up on her arms and shuffing Caine away. She tried to get up but stumbled a little, leaning against the cornucopia she made her way to the opening and started getting stuff out. We all went to examine the stuff she was getting out and I noticed straight away that there weren't any weapons. But it wasn't until Helene stopped getting stuff out that I realized that there were no weapons in the cornucopia. We were all queit for a few seconds when Willow, offcourse, broke the silence.

'But where are all the weapons?' She asked in her high pitched voice walking to the midlle of our unconciously made circle so she was in the center.

'Well, obviously they're not in here' Ruby says clearly annoyed.

I don't understand why she had to be a total bitch all the time. I mean okay so Willow's anoying we all find that but we're not all that obvious about it... well most of us. But she's got allot of sponsors so she may be of some use and besides best to keep as many people as close as you can, that way you don't have to look for them when your going to kill them.

'But that doesn't make any sense. Why would they give us no weapons? I mean isn't the point of the games to kill each other?... No! You don't think that they want us to do it with out bare hands do you?' Willow,again, asks in disbelieve turning to Daemyen en Erix who are just standing at the sideline looking as everyone is trying to figure this out. I don't understand why she is so infatuated with them. I mean yeah okay there hot but still their so... full of themselves.

'Well maybe that girl who got there first took them?' Thane asks already looking in the direction Siera took of in ready to run after her and strip her from everything she got away with.

'No she only got away with a backpack and a flask, I saw it myself' I say trying to figure this all out. Which is pretty hard since the freaking blind boy is now crawling over the whole field while screaming something about pain.

'Wait what's this?' Helene says while she bends over in the cornucopia making most of her upper body disappear. I can see that nearly all the guys are looking at her but well except for Caine and the blind guy. But I just sigh even if I want to give Thane a big smack which will make him think twice about checking out another girl and walk over to her trying to see whats she's looking at.

'Hmm it looks like a cake. But what are all those numbers for?' Helene says out loud as clearly everyone is curious as to what we're seeing.

'I think it's a map..-'

'-AAAAAAAH the burn! it hurts!' The blindboy rudely interupts me and though he's been screaming that the whole time it's only now that it clicks.

'We've all got numbers.' I stumble 'We've all got burned with a number' I say a bit louder now while retreating from the cornucopia so other people can have a look as Caine was trying to get passed me the whole time.

It's queit for a moment as everyone is trying to figure out what exacly is happening. First the burns, the weapons missing and now this strange map.

'There's something written above it' Caine says as he get's his head out making place for Ruby to see, who's touching the burn on her neck lightly 'It says Play nice'

'Well what does that mean? Or better yet what does it all mean' Willow says clearly not liking all this mystery.

'It seems as if the capitol has put the games up a notch' Daemyen says minging himself in the conversation for the first time. He takes a step forward cause the blind boy is slowly crawling towards him leaving a trail of snot and drewl as he whimpers and screams about how this is all so unfair and disabled people shoud be excludate from the games. I can only think about how I wish someone would shut him up and what a disgrace he is to his family.

'I think it's pretty obvious' Caine says 'We've al got a number, there numbers on the map...'

'But there 24 of us and only 12 numbers on the map so that doesn't ad up' Helene whispers to herself

'Well only one way to find out' Ruby says while looking threw a backpack and throwing some food, water and a compas in it 'I'm going to my number so I'll catch up with you guys later so I can tell you what I've discovered' She was already making her way towards the edge of the clearing when Caine suddenly went after her.

'Hey, wait up. I'll go with you. There's no need for a lady to go into these dangerous forest by herself.' He says with a smile already reaching her.

'But you guys, we're the carreerpack. We're supose to stick together! What about the alliance?' Ruby screams after them but their already gone and nobody else feels a need to stop them. They weren't that important anyway.

'So now what? We just wait?' Helene asks arranging the stuff we still got

'Actually I think their on the right track. Their just missing a piece' Daemyen says while looking to his homeboy Erix.

'Yeah Helene you said it yourself the numbers just don't add up. Cause there two people with the same number.' Erix explains pointing at Daemyens neck and then to his own. And as I looked I saw that they both had the number 11 burned into the sides of their neck and I couldn't help but think how unlucky they gotten by having a double digit number.

Erix turns around to look at Daemyen before saying 'And dude, don't cal me a piece'

'Sorry man, nothing personal' He says while smiling his crooked grin

'Okay, hate to break the bonding here but what do we do now?' Helene asks looking at the two with a raised eyebrows

'Well babe, we do what they are doing. We go to number 11 and see what's this is all about' Erix says while throwing some of th stuff into a backpack. 'Well don't just stand there. Take what you can carry and let's go. Just leave anything that's not usefull or you can't carry'

I walked to the pile where everything was and picked the last backpack filling it with more food and water purifieers. I looked at the sleepingbag but didn't want to carry anything more so left it.

We were all just leaving the clearing when Erix said to wait for Daemyen we looked around to see what was taking him so long.  
He was just standing there frozen agitation lighten in every feature as his fist clenched and unclenched at his side.  
The blind boy had both arms reached up to Daemyen pleading him to take him with us to not leave him alone.  
When Daemyen suddenly reached out grabbed his hair and dragged him to the small lake at the side of the field.  
The boy kept on screaming sorry

'You drewled on my fuckin shoe!' He shrieked and I couldn't help but stiffle a laugh  
'You fucking blind moron, imbeciel, retarded...mole! You got your snot and saliva all over my brand new Fredermans!'  
The blindboy just kept on screaming untill Daemyen pushed his head in the water. It seemed to take forever for the boys body to finaly stop stugling and I was about to intervere and just break his neck or something when the spasms finaly stopped and the canon fired. Daemyen let go of the boys head, simply stood up whiped his shoe on the boys sweater brushed his leather jeans of and walked over to us.

'Well that wasn't really playing nice now was it?' Erix said when Daemyen reached us.

'Never said I would' Daemyen simply replied

All I could think was that I would remember that.  
I took step next to Thane and we started our trip towards whatever was at the number 11.  
It was only when we had left the clearing that we felt the ground begin to tremble beneath us.

* * *

**As always thank you for reading and led me know what you thought about the first chapter.**  
**The next one is going to be written by stravvberry.**  
**We've also put a easter egg in the games that will continue through out the story.**  
**Let's see if you can find it ;)**

**xoxo Miss-Almond**


	2. Chapter 2 Field Mice and Suicides

Female district 5  
Sierra Sinclair  
Partner: Alive

* * *

**Field Mice and Suicides**

_Our world blue and wide_  
_In the brightest of light_  
_I whisper the sun goodbye_  
_As we all fall from the sky_

_As we all fall from the sky_  
_There is an end to our flight_  
_That is where you find me_  
_In the great arms of the sea_

_In the great arms of the sea_  
_You and I become we_  
_As we are swept away_  
_In the never ending waves_

_In the never ending waves_  
_There is no dawn or day_  
_As we descent in the deep_  
_Where the sun doesn't reach_

_Where the sun doesn't reach_  
_Darkness finds souls to reap_  
_So I hold you close to my side_  
_Our world blue and wide_

I lie there my heartbeat pounding in my ears and my lungs burning with each breath I take.  
Trees had been flying past me as I ran through the forest for what seemed a lifetime, until my foot got caught under a fallen tree and I fell face first in the dirt.

I push myself up, my arms shaking, drained from their strength, and let my head hang between them as I spit out the dirt from my mouth.  
I pull back and lean my body against the dead tree.

I could still feel Ashton's hand behind me, trying to grab me.  
In reaction my body had exploded with adrenaline and it had been nothing but fear and footsteps until I had fallen on my face.

My body had gone a bit overboard with running, but my running skill had been a good thing because apart from Ashton looking like she could kill me with the snap of her fingers she also had also gotten a nine, a freaking nine as rating.  
Compare that with me, all slender and tall rated with a seven, which was only because I knew how to make myself invisible with paint.

Yeah I know who I'd put my money on if it came to a fight between the two of us, I'd win the bet but would surely not be able to enjoy my winnings since I'd be six feet under sooner then I'd be able to realise.

I wipe the sand of my face and brush my shaggy black hair out of my face sighing.  
Bringing my hand to the right side of my neck I realize that the pain from the burn has gone down.  
It has healed too quickly to be natural but since I had seen stranger things in my short time in the capitol so I'm not really surprised.  
All that is left is a thick scar, its a thick line that runs up, which crossed by a small horizontal line, before making a turn to the right.  
I try to imagine how it looks for someone else.  
Perhaps a bit like a seven.

_It is a seven!_ I realise.

For a moment I feel proud that I figured is out, but why a number like that, it isn't my district number.  
There is no connection to me and this number, what would the gamemakers mean by this.

I sigh knowing I won't be able to figure it out, at least not today so I just look up at trees , the forest isn't to thick here and I can see the sun up at its highest point.  
Soon it will start making its descent, it would still take hours before sunset but still, I'm tired and if I want to be able to do anything tomorrow I should really get some rest.

I grab the flask and drink, letting the cool water run down my throat.  
I enjoy the coolness and feel my body relaxing when a loud bang startles me.  
I choke on the water coughing it out as it prickles in my lunges and drips out of my nose which I wipe with on the sleeve of my grey jacket.  
I quickly grab the backpack and flask I had retrieved from the cornucopia and am about to jump up and find out if I can still run when I realise it.

_Its the cannon Sierra, someone died._

I relax again, well relax, I relax for as far is possible for a tribute who just realised that the killing has started.

I wonder who died, probably that blind boy, poor kid couldn't even see the face of the one who murdered him.  
Or maybe its not him and he's crawling through the forest somewhere waiting for starvation to end his suffering.  
Perhaps it would be better if it had been the blind kid, at least it would be over for him now.

These thoughts are swept away by another sound, not a bang, but a rumbling sound, combined with the sound of trees moaning in a storm as their wood is pushed to the limit.

I get up and look around trying to pin point the location the sound is coming from my right and I blink to see if I'm not hallucinating, because in the distance I can see trees shaking wildly.  
Its as if some one drew a line in the dirt and only on the other side of the line earthquakes were allowed.

I swallow, hardly believing my luck, that I'm not on the other side of the line, though I'm pretty sure my heart didn't believe it because it was racing in my chest.

Then there's a beep, like an alarm system it keeps going, for a moment I just stand there looking at the shaking trees when the beeps suddenly becomes faster, more frequent.

And before I know it I'm running again away from the shaking ground and away from the quickening beep.

But my legs are tired, they run fast enough, but keep tripping over twigs and I stumble and fall.  
The beeping is quickening almost as fast as my heartbeat now, almost becoming one long tone.  
And all I do is curl up in a ball.  
I press my hands against my ears as hard as I can, as if not hearing the sound will keep me safe from what ever is about to happen.  
The beeps collide and turn into one loud tone that shivers through my skin, flesh and bones and I pray for my life.

The sound stops but not even a second later I hear trees snapping, wood cracking, and rocks crashing into each other.  
My head spins behind my closed eyes and think I'm falling, tumbling until the sound stops.

I wonder if I'm dead, if death is just this, but then I hear the sound of leaves softly fluttering in the wind.  
Carefully I open my eyes, to find myself curled up in a ball in the woods.  
I want to close my eyes again curl up even tighter and pretend I don't exist.  
But I know that in doing that I'll only shorten my actual existence so I force myself to remove my hands from my ears and slowly push myself up still dizzy from the fear.

I stumble for a moment but when I find gravity being kind to me again I turn around to check the damage.

I can see I hadn't run very far because I can still see the fallen tree over which I had tripped after running away from the cornucopia.  
And for a moment I think there is no damage, that everything is just as I left it but then my eyes draw further through the ground in the forest and find a gap.

My stomach twists and I feel nausea coming up and I swallow down the intent to throw up, because gap is definitely not the right word for what I see.  
More like canyon. maybe 5 meters from where I had leaned against the fallen tree the earth ends.

The ground is cut in a clean straight line, like a pie and one piece is missing only the point of the piece of hadn't been sharp.  
I slowly walk forward as if the ground might fall down under my steps.  
I pass the fallen tree and walk up to the canyon stopping at about a meter of the end of the earth scared I might fall.  
I doubt the earth will break at the edges since even trees that stood on the edge of the borderline where the canyon was created, but still I'm scared and dizzy.  
Because the canyon is deep so incredably deep that the fallen trees look even to tiny to be toys.  
I am deffinetly not afraid of heights I climbed trees all the time but now I understood how it felt.  
I shake my head trying to clear it.

Okay Sierra no time to wonder why they did this, drink some water dehydration isn't fun, then check what's in the backpack you grabbed, if there's nothing in it to paint your face with find the resources to make paint then find a good tree to rest and sleep.

I nod confirming to no one in particullar that this would be the plan.

I open my backpack and check it's content.  
I find three bottles filled with water, a pack of water purifiers, three packs of crackers, two brined fish, two packs of dried fruit, a roll of tiolet paper and some wires.

I don't know how to set the wires but I don't throw them out, perhaps I can find someone who knows how to set them, or trade them, not that I'm planning to team up but you never know what happens.

I could survive about five days on the food, and with the water purifiers I wouldn't have to worry about getting dehydrated at all.

Since I didn't need to worry about food I decided to find things to paint myself with and hide in a tree.

I took a big gulp of water from the flask and turned my back, dumped the flask in the backpack, threw it over one shoulder and started walking my eyes searching for the right leaves.

I had done this a thousand times with my boyfriend Steven.  
We painted our faces as kids, and every reaping as well.

I can't supress the smile that creeps up my lips as I remember how long it took for the camera to find me the day I became a tribute.  
But the smile fades as I realise I would never do that again.  
Paint his face, and let Steven's fingers paint mine.

Yeah that's what I would mis most about life, him.  
His sweet smile, his strange but wonderfull story's how he'd always creep down the corridor of the community home trying to reach my room, sometimes he succeeded but alot of the times he'd get caught and punished.

But when he did reach my room it was wonderfull.  
He'd put Teddy in the drawer of my night stand which always had a shirt in it so his field mouse could lay in it, then he'd curl up behind me and whisper a story in my ear before falling asleep.

I felt bad for him, he didn't have anyone in this world apart from me.  
No one understood him, or bothered to try and understand him anyway.  
If it wasn't for me the kid would be permenantly bruised since he seemed to attract trouble.

I didn't get how other people could be so mean to him, I had tried to figure it out thousands of times but never came up with an awnser.  
Sure the kid was strange, but what do you expect he's schizophrenic, ofcourse he is a bit off.  
But he's a good kid, and everyone including the voices in his head treated him like shit.

I didn't though, I remember when he was brought to the comunity home, he was alone crouched in a corner in the living room.  
Kids running past him, like he didn't exist, I wonder now, if maybe they had sensed it, knew unconsioulsy something was wrong with him.

He seemed sad and confused like most kids do when they first arived, either dumped by their parents, had just lost them or the abuse and or neglect at home was so bad they were taken away.  
Later I'd find out it was the latter for him.

Normally I would have probably let the boy be, but his hands were cupped like he was holding something.

I couldn't see what it was so I walked over and crouched down across from him.

"Hey I'm Sierra, what ya got there boy?"

He looked up and pulled what ever he was holding protectivelly towards his chest.  
He stared at me with his big brown eyes not knowing how to react.  
I looked behind me at the other kids and the grownup's and back at him.

"It's okay. I won't tell them."

He looked doubtfull like he was considering to tell me but he wasn't quite sure yet.

But I was too curious to give up.

"If you show me your secret. I'll show you mine."

He bit his lip and then nodded and leaned towards me.

"It's my field mouse, his name is Teddy, I'm scared if they see him they'll take him away." He whispered.

My eyes grew wide as a feeling of excitement overwelmed me.  
The boy had a fieldmouse and it was in danger.

"Can I see him?"

He squinted his eyes not quite trusting me yet.

"You first." He awnsered.

It was my turn to tell a secret so I leaned in and whispered to him.

"I know a place where there are berries and you can use them to paint your face. I can show you and we can play, but you have to show me Teddy first."

He must have liked the idea because he quickly nodded and leaned towards me slowly opening his hands.

First I thought the poor thing must have run off and got lost but when I looked at him he was starring at my face in a strange way.  
Not like 'its a game there isn't really a field mouse you should play along' but in a difrent way.  
Like trying to see my reaction, like he actually thought there was a field mouse and was scared I'd laugh at him for not seeing it.

I was a bit dissapointed but either way it would be a fun game, even if he actually thought there was a field mouse, I could still play along.  
So I told him it was cute and that he wasn't alowed to tell anyone about it because the kids were mean and might hurt it.  
He agreed that they might and the next day I showed him my secret place and we were pretty much like siamese twins from there on.

Those were good times, even when he got in trouble with other kids and I had to save his ass again.  
Even when the girls were mean to me too just for hanging out with Steven, and even if the story's you'd sometimes hear about what the other kids had gone through would make you realize grownups were monsters.  
They were good times, because he was there with me, and they were good times because anything was better than being here alone in the games waiting for someone to come and kill me.

Yeah good going on the melodrama Sierra how about focussing on trying to survive longer than a day. I thought to myself.

I obeyed that thought and started focusing more on what was around me, searching for the right berries and leaves.

It didn't take too long to find what I was looking for.

I grinded down the leaves taking out its green colloring and mixed it with some white berries then covered my self and my backpack with mud.  
The mud would dry and break creating that bark like structure, then I took the green berrie mixture and rubbed it over it so it would look like moss.

Then I walked back toward the newly created canyon and found a good tree to hide in, because it seemed less likely someone would walk near the canyon.

I climbed in with ease and settled my self.

I ate half a cracker, drank some water, and alowed my body to relax.

It wasn't dark yet, but I had run for so long today and I would need my strength.

So I just sit there looking over the forrest.

It's a beautiful forest, lush and green, some of the clearings filled with beautifull flowers, in the distence I can see a stream and I decide that I could go there for water tomorow.  
Yeah it was all so pretty that it scared me, nothing in the games that was all flowers and sunshine could be good.

Even if most of it is evil, atleast its a pretty place to die right?

I sigh, anoyed at the way I feel, at how I keep reminding myself of the fact that I will most likely die, and lose Steven.  
Lose him in the most ultimate way, I won't remember what we did, how he looked with his messy brown hair, pale skin and golden brown eyes.  
How we met, how he'd count the freckles on my face, how he'd crawl up behind me, how difrent his fingers had felt against my skin last time, before the reaping when we painted eachother.  
I won't remember how his eyes got wide but his pupils big as well, when his fingers slid down my cheeck and neck.  
How his lips were parted and how I could feel his breath against the skin of my collar bone while he painted me, which made me bite my lip and let my head fall back.

And my memories grab me, and pull me back, as a soft breeze blows though the leaves.

That day the day of my reaping there had been a soft breeze as well, and as my head fell back in reaction to Steven's breath I could see the green leaves flutter in the wind.

My breath seemed heavy and I pulled my head up again and looked at him as he painted my collarbone dilligently.

A thousand times we'd been here and a thousand times his fingers had touched my skin but never had it been like this, had I felt like this.  
My skin was so aware of him, of his fingers, his breath, of how close he was standing across from me.

He kneeled down and dipped his finger into one of the three wooden bowls of paint we had made earlier that day.  
Then he started at my ankles his hands slowly moving up to my knees and down again.

Suddenly I felt the desire for him to move his hands up higher, the desire scratched behind my ribs and burned down the lower part of my belly.  
But I didn't say anything, feeling emberresed, so I swallowed hard trying to push these feelings down.

Steven dips his fingers in another bowl with deep grey paint and moves his hands from my ankle up to my knee again his fingers brushing my grey skirt.

I gasped making his movements stop all too sudden.

I looked down at him, to find him starring at me with his big brown eyes.  
His eyes so focussed, like all the menace in his head had left and he was trying to take me in with all his might.  
I felt my cheecks burn and was thankful that the paint covered my blush.

He swallowed his eyes still lingering on my face.

I felt like someone should say something, but I had no idea what it should be.  
So I just stand there staring back at him like an idiot.

We stood there for a while until he broke the silence.

"Sierra." His voice sounded slightly out of breath and lower than normal.

I swallowed and prayed my voice would come out slightly normal.

"Yeah."

It sounded forced and slightly off key but since it did sound like a word I figured it could have been worse.

Steven looked down, and I wondered if he was blushing beneath the grey, brown and black paint.  
He looked up again still kneeling by my feet with his hands on my knee, and swallows, breathing like as if the air had gone thick.

"I-.."

His face changed, like that first time I met him, looking for my reaction.  
When he dipped his fingers in the paint again without breaking eyecontact.  
For a moment I wondered what he was going to say but then his fingers touch my knee and slowly move up under my skirt.

My eyes widened in suprise and a gasp escaped my throat but then my body decides my reaction is wrong and my head falls back and my gasp is followed by a soft moan.  
Longing burned inside me and I remember vageally wondering why every time he gives more my need increased.

I knew I couldn't go all the way with him, I mean getting pregnant at this age while still living in the comunity home would be more than just a bad idea, but perhaps we could atleast try other things.

His hands slide down again but before I remember what dissapointment is I feel his lips against my knee.  
Butterfly kisses trailed their way up and my eyes rolled back in my head and my knees went weak and I hoped I wouldn't fall.

He stops again and I wanted to beg him not to stop but I could feel his breath through my panties wich seemed to make my head unable to think of words, so all that came out was a moan.  
Like it was a signal he moves his hands up along my thighs and I feel his fingers pull my panties down.

Somewhere in a far off part of my mind my thoughts screamed things like 'no way' and 'Sierra is this really a good plan' but my mind wasn't in control and my body wasn't about to stop this.

My panties slid down and when I felt his hot breath against my skin, not blocked by my underwear fire and electricity burst in my stomach and my knees buckled against the goodness of it all.

I thought something about ballance but the meaning of the word was lost and I found myself falling backwards.  
I fell on the ground and for a moment the my only thought is about how bad it is that I can't feel his breath against my skin, but my head turned clearer and I'm sure my face alot redder underneath its paint.

I force myself to look at him, and find him still kneeled looking like he'd just hit me.  
And I can't help laughing at the awkwardness of it all, it bursts out of my throat and I let my self fall back in the ground.

"Sierra?" His voice almost a whisper.

I pull my upperbody up, leaning on my elbows, and look at Steven.  
He frowns then looks down, and up again.

"So your not- I mean you know..."

I didn't know so I asked.

"Am what?" I say my face still radiating with blush.

He shrugged and looked at the ground, perhaps at Teddy his field mouse.

"Like pissed at me or something... for- you know for..." He barely mumbled the last part, and then looked back up at me.

For a second I want to act oblivious, and watch him squirm trying to say it, but right now I like him way too much even for a friendly tease.

I bit my lip smilling, and shook my head.

He grinned then and crawled over me until his face hovered above mine, and my heart started racing again.  
He leaned down and pressed his lips against mine then brought them to my ear as if he was about to tell me a secret and whispered.

"Good."

I am suddenly snapped out of my thought when I hear footsteps coming from below.  
I pull myself backwards against the tree and hold my breath.  
Looking down I find a dark skinned boy walking through the woods.

"I'm sorry, I just..."

He is saying to either someone else or to the camera's.

"I can't do it. I can't kill people. And I can't sit here and wait for someone to come and kill me either."

I scan through the trees but find no one else so I figure he's either talking to the camera's, himself or he has invisible friends like Steven.

"Well I could do that last part but, well you know it doesn't really sound like a good idea to me for some reason." He mutters sarcastically.

He passes my tree and then makes his way to, I blink to make sure what I am seeing is correct, but it is, and he is walking towards the cliff.

"I just, I can't."

My heartbeat races at this and I quickly remind myself to breath.

It has happened before but its rare, most kids don't commit suicide especially since the winnings contain food so they feel that they should atleast if not just for their loved ones try to win.

"Mom, dad, damn even you Ezrin, I love you."

The boy says and then he stops walking and just stands there..

I swallow feeling weird that I am watching his most intense and perhaps last moments.

I wonder if I should do something, but what if it was a trick, if it was all just and act to get someone out and then kill them.

"Mayli, my sweet, I'm so sorry I won't be able to come home, you're my life you know, so, its okay. Just be strong for me okay. Be happy. I love you."

The boy walks up to a tree that is just at the edge of the canyon.

He stands there his back turned to me, and suddenly I feel the urge to help him, to climb down the tree, and prevent this boy who can be sarcastic even in his last moments from ending his life.

But my body's stuck, frozen and I feel guilt flowing through me with every heartbeat.

Suddenly there's a fierce blow of the wind I quickly grab a branch preventing my self from tumbling down the tree.

But when I look back I no longer see the boy.

"Nooo!"

I scream not caring about who will hear me, or that I don't know this kid because other people did.  
His parents, a person called Ezrin and a girl called Mayli who he loved and she loved him back.

And it reminds me of Steven and another flush of guilt runs through me and I can feel my eyes burn at the realisation that this boy had love and I didn't save him, that I had ripped Mayli's heart out by not saving him.  
By not even trying to save him.  
This boy who is now dead a boy who's name I didn't even bother to remember.

"Oh dear, okay its good. I'm okay!"

My heart skips a beat, its the kids voice clearly but where.  
My eyes scan the edge of the cliff where he had stood and find two dark hands gripping a root of the tree.

"Seriously Ulric your in the fucking games and you can't even manage to kill yourself I mean that is just beyond pathetic you do realise that."

_Sierra what are you waiting for help the kid before he can't hold on any longer!_ A voice in my head yells at me.

I push myself up and start climbing down the tree.

"Oh god! What is that! Great the gamemakers thought my death wasn't exciting enough so they throw in some kind of tree monster! Seriously? Fuck, Fuck!" The boy who's apparently named Ulric, begins to yell.

_What tree monster?_

I look around to be sure, but its just me and Ulric, then I jump out of the tree and walk up to him.

"Bad tree monster! Bad tree go back! I promise I am not tasty at all! I have pyrochenetic powers, don't make me use them on you!"

The boy is ranting by now and I can see he's staring at me.

_Oh god the camouflage._ I remember.

"Calm down, I'm not a tree monster." I say slowly.

"Jump off the cliff, the kids from the lumber district are down there wouldn't you rather eat them? I am king of the tree's I command you not to eat me!" He rambles on.

"I am not a tree monster, I'm here to help." I repeat

"Ha!" he replies " I bet you say that to all the kids you eat."

I can't help rolling my eyes.

"I'm Sierra from district five, I saw your attempt to... welll you know..."

I crouch down.

"Let me help you up."

He looks away from me and down into the gorge, then his head snaps up as if he suddenly realised just how deep the fall is.

"Yes please."

I grab his wrists and pull him up over the edge, and as soon as he in on the ground he crawls away from the cliff.

He turns and sits there looking at me, still out of breath from his near death experience.

We sit like that for a moment, looking at eachother, until he speaks again.

"Why did you save me?"

Because the thought of your girlfriend having to watch you die made me think of how it would be if Steven would have to watch me die and I couldn't bear that thought. I think, but I just shrug and say.

"I dunno, seemed like a stupid way to go."

He nods.

"True that."

Its silent again for a moment.

"So you planning on..." He's quiet again, over thinking his words.

"You know, fighting for your life."

_Nice way to put it, when you actually mean commit murder_. I think looking back over the canyon to the other side where the ground and forest start again.

I shrug.

"I plan to run for it."

"You?" I ask looking back at him.

He leans back rolls his eyes and sighs.

"Well considering I'm not even able to end my own life..."

I nod actually believing him.  
But if I believe him, should I team up with him?  
Is it wise to trust anyone right now.

_Probably not, but teaming up does increase your chances of winning, well aslong as the person you team up with doesn't kill you in your sleep._ I think to myself.

_Then again as cruell as it may sound I could probably out run him and if someone came after us, it would give me more time if that person got to him first_. Another thought says, and I feel bad for thinking it, but its true.

_Plus this boy probably won't live past tommorow without your help. _I think, and I'm not sure wether this thought is sincire or just to make my consience feel better.  
But this thought is true as well and I can give him a few more days of survival, I could share my rations.

_So even if we would get in trouble and I ran, it would be a fair trade right?_

_I mean without me he would already be dead. _I try this but I still feel bad.

But what else am I suposed to do.  
This is a game of life and many deaths, so what else am I suposed to do then play it.  
Or atleast try to survive, and its not like I think I have a chance, or that my life is worth more than the lives of the other tributes, but what am I supossed to do when Steven is back home, probably having a psychoses.  
He flipped so hard when my name was called out as a tribute.

He needs me because the older he gets the harder they'll punish him and without me he'll manage to get himself killed, and knowing that how can I make the right choice.  
Hell, in a world where grownups forced children to murder each other what was right anyway?

"Your the girl from district five right?"

I nod.

"Name's Sierra." I say and get up.

I walk over to him and offer my hand.

He takes it and I pull him up.

"I'm Ulric, district three."

He looks to his right, back to where we came from, where the cornucopia is and probably the carreers as well.

His curly hair blowing in a breeze.

"What are you going to do?" He asks without looking back at me.

I shrug following his gaze.

"Find shelter in a tree, it should be safer there. I managed to grab a backpack, its still up in the tree I sat in, it has some food so I should be okay for now."

Its quiet again, but not uncomfortable, I like that in people.  
If they don't always feel the need to make useless conversations.  
And it helps me make out my mind, so I look back at him.

"I saw you during training you learned how to set wires right? They were in the backpack I managed to grab but I have no clue how to use them. I could camouflage you though and we could eat some of the rations I have."

He turns his face back to me and grins his teeth shining white in the contrast with his dark chocolate skin.

"Is the great tree monster asking me to team up with her?"

I chuckle and reply.

"I suppose so."

He shrugs still smilling.

"As long as you don't try to eat me, its fine by me."

He lets his head fall back and looks at the sky when I notice his burn.

"You've got a seven as well."

"Huh?" He says looking back at me.

"Your scar, its the same number as mine?"

He tilts his head bringing his hand to his neck.

"Wait they're numbers?"

I nod and move my head to the left so he can see mine.

"Why do we have the same one?" He asks.

I bite my lip at this.

"I'm not sure yet. But that reminds me, when I got to the cornucopia there weren't any weapons either."

"Wait. No weapons?"

"Just food and backpacks, stuff like that. But not a single weapon."

His eyebrows pull together as if he's thinking.

"The career pack won't have any weapons then either. But this thing with the weapons, it has to be connected to the numbers." He begins.

He looks over at the canyon.

"Maby even to what happened there, I mean the gamemakers would never take out such a big part of the arena for no reason right?"

"Yeah... especially not on the first day" I agree.

"Well" he says "if there is an awnser to what this means then its probably in these woods right?"

"You think that, thats why they took out that part of the arena, cause there was some sort of awnser there."

He shrugs.

"Perhaps, and perhaps that awnser also lies in the woods here. I mean its like they took out a piece of the arena you know like a cake. It makes me feel like this part could come down any moment now."

I nod and find my self glad to be in a team with this kid, he was quite clever.

"Either way though we should get ready for the night, we have some time but honestly I'm kind of tired." I say.

"Good with me, get me the wires and I'll see what I can do about those."

I climb back in the tree grab my backpack and get down again.

"There's some water in there drink as much as you like, there's a river I saw, we can head out there tomorow." I say handing over the backpack.

He smiles at me again.

"Sounds like a plan to me, tree monster."

**Okay so here is MY (stravvberry) first chapter.**

**I know its a bit long, hope it isn't to long though, but there was alot I had to put in.**

**The thing with the ryhme just kind of came to me, I know its kind of out of place in a ff but I was thinking about Sierra and I came up with this for some reason, I thought it fitted her and this chapter so I just went with it.**

**Hoped you liked the part where Sierra thinks back at how Steven painted her in the woods, I've only written something like that before once so it might not be perfect.**

**Pretty, pretty please review both me and Miss-Almond. We are doing our best to make this a good story and would like to have some feedback!**

**Stravvberry**


	3. Chapter 3 The road we travel

Female District 10  
Cela Lindenberg  
Partner: Alive

* * *

**The road we travel**

I couldn't believe it. Of all the unlucky persons out there I have got to be the worst one. Not only got I picked for the Hunger Games this year. My fellow district tribute is someone I know, some one who is already considered a family member and one day will be one for sure.  
My sweet little sisters boyfriend Abbot and now I'm walking through the forest dragging him with me, trying to keep us both alive.  
Only I know that's not possible we can't both be survivors of the Hunger Games. There can only be one and it will be a miracle when that one person will be one of us let alone the both of us.

But still what else can I do? I'll just try to safe us both until the time comes for... well I'm not sure of that now.  
I mean what will be the worst loss? Me or Espen ? Will my little sister want her sister to come home or the love of her life?  
And the worst part is I have no answer to any of these questions. So I just keep on walking, walking till I come up with some of the answers, walking till my legs can't walk any longer, walking till we're safe.

I'm already regretting the short break we had, we've shouldn't kept walking till we found some water. I've got a hand full of berries that I picked up along the way but I have nothing to put them in so they won't last long in my sweaty hand.  
But the burn had hurt to much and both of us wanted a break to exam the damage that the capitol had already made on us, why we don't know. When I had first looked at Espens burned 1 during our escape from the cornucopia it had looked terrible; it was swollen, red and blisters had already appeared at the edges. But when I looked at it during our short break it was miraculously already healing, leaving a thick red scar down the left side of his neck. The same applied for my 2.

I had been thinking about it a couple of times now. What the numbers meant, I mean was this to humiliate us some more? Another change in the games like the clothes? Marking us like cattle so they didn't have to remember our names? Or was is something more? But since I had more important concerns on my mind then a stupid number scar I tossed the thought away and focused on the task a head.

Unfortunately I couldn't walk to my hearts content anymore cause I'm dragging someone else with me. Someone who doesn't want to walk any more cause his knees are scraped and his face is cold from all the tears that have been flowing to no end these last couple of days.  
And off course being the kind of person I am I have to consider this.

'Cel, stop. P-please stop. I can't walk anymore' Espen stammers through broken sobs trying to pull me to a halt and failing.

Though I do want to stop I can't, this is all just such a mess how did my life turn into this? What moment in my life did I miss?  
But though my mind keeps racing my legs slow down a little but it isn't till I hear the soft cries that I notice I have let go of him and I'm walking away.

I briefly consider to just keep on walking leaving him to his own fate, but I don't. I turn around rushing towards the boy who's now fallen to his knees trying to control his sobs. I kneel down next to him and pull him into a hug.

'It'll be okay' I lie to him slowly rocking him back and for 'We'll figure something out' I continue my lie 'You'll see her again' and though I know I say this to comfort him it still brings a stabbing ache in my chest. Cause I know that if what I say is true that will mean I won't.

I gently stroke his short light brown hair just as my mother did to me whenever I was sad and needed the comfort. I really wish my mother could comfort me now, I was feeling pretty sad.

'Es, we have to keep going. It's going to be dark soon and we have to find some water and shelter.' I try to pull him up again but he won't give.

'Come on, you can't give up so soon. Here eat some of these.' I give him some of the berries cause I can feel that they're already going soft. I slip some in his mouth and he obliges, slowly eating them and I can only hope that I can find us a place to spend the night and that I can find some more plants tomorrow.

Cause that will be our only food source here. I have no idea how to hunt and I know Espen can't either. Maybe I can make a trap but I need to have some snares for that. Or maybe I can make a pan from a stone or something so I can make some soup. Later Cela think about it later. Just focus on finding water and shelter.

'Okay, your right we need to get going' Espen lets out a heavy sigh and gets up. Wiping his tears on the dark blue sleeve of his vest.

And so we begin our walk again.

I stop dead in my tracks as I can hear voices on the other side of the bushes on our right. My first instinct is to run and I'm already hardening my grip on Espens hand and turning to make a run for it before I hear a scream followed my a loud splash. Water.

I slowly turn to the bushes again, releasing Espen as I make my way to the bush. I try to make my way silently around it so I can sneek a peak. But since the forest ground is covered with little twigs and dried leaves it makes walking silently near enough impossible and I can hear them scrunch under my feet as they break under my weight.

'Man, what did you do that for?' I hear a boys voice say as he tries to make his way out of the litlle pond.

'Owh god, I think I injured my knee. Hey! You still out there?' He screams. I stay frozen in place thinking for a second he knows I'm here but then realizing he must be talking to who ever he was talking to minutes ago.

As I think this I begin to search the surroundings of the pond before coming to the conclusion that he or she must've left. I make my way further around the bush until I can clearly see who it is at the clearing.  
It's Leigh the boy tribute from district 8, we've talked a couple of times during training sessions or breaks we got here and there and he's nice enough.

There's this weird vibe going on between us though, like there's a line between us pulling us closer or maybe it's more like gravity pulling us closer. I don't know how to exactly describe it but it's definitely weird so I've tried to keep my distance.

And besides it doesn't mean he's still nice now, you never know what the game does to people or what plan they have. I'm trying to weigh my options but am to distracted my the sight of water to really make an accurate discussion.  
I've been trying to ignore my dry and sore throat for the last couple of hours and though I've found some juicy berries along the way they weren't enough to sooth my throat

'I know your out there. I can hear you.' Leigh yells again as he's scrambling out pushing his long blonde wet hair out of his face.

I turn around to point to Espen to stay behind the bush and make my way towards the water and Leigh.

'Hey, Leigh. What are you doing splashing about in the water like that?' I ask all nice and happy, trying to sense where this will go.

'Owh hey Cela. I thought you were someone else.' He looks at himself a bit embarrassed 'I uh.. well I kinda got pushed into the water...' He nearly whispers at the end 'I mean one moment I was being nice and all " Hey let's work together" and I thought we were cool when I just bend over to the waters edge and WHAM he just pushes me in!' He says as if he can't believe what just happened and is still pumped up about it as he makes a big swinging motion.

'Awh that's to bad' I just say trying to see if he's got a weapon or not and not really listening to what he's saying. He caughts me staring though and slowly raises his hands while a big grin crosses his face.

'Hey girl, I've got nothing on me to be scared for and even if I had you know I wouldn't hurt ya.' He tries to catch my eyes and no doubt sees that I'm not convinced yet. Though he sounds honest enough and I kinda do believe him you just never know in these games and as the saying goes; better safe then sorry.

'Awh come on. I mean it's good to be careful and all, but me? Seriously? We both got a four remember and you can trust me when I say my specialty isn't something to attack with.' He continues, making hooks with his fingers at the specialty 'Besides you outnumber me.' I see him looking over my shoulder and tense knowing Espen has left the safety of the bushes, probably to thirsty to ignore that water behind Leigh and is making his way over.

'Leigh! How are you, dude? Still alive I see' Espen says while walking over to Leigh and giving him one of those guy punch hug greetings or was it hug punch? I've never known.

'Yeah well I'm not all intact my knee freaking hurts man and I'm all soaked' Leigh smacks Espen on his back while Espen makes his way to the pond and starts splashing water over his face. As I see Espen walking behind Leigh and Leigh slowly turning showing me his back.  
I can feel my muscles begin to relax and I'm no longer feeling anxious but happy, happy to have found a boy my age who might join us and can help me out with finding food, water and shelter. The water!

'Remember don't drink it! You might get sick.' I yell at Espen realizing that just a moment ago I had been planning to do just that. I sigh feeling uncomfortable at the pond when I can't drink from it, like a Fata Morgana in a desert.

'Well actually I've got a bottle and some purifiers.' Leigh says while smiling his big grin and showing me the water bottle he had picked up by the waters edge, probably left it there before falling in.

'Here have some, but not to much! It's only the first day and we only have 4 purifiers left.' He hands me the bottle and I just stare at it realizing that we should be careful with it and feeling weird that he just said we while he was the one who had them.

'No I'm still good for a few more hours, here Es have a swig.' I throw the bottle to Espen who catches it and takes a big sip out of it. I turn back to Leigh who looks at me with a strange expression on his face like he can't believe I just did that.

'So you got to the cornucopia?' I ask casually. Trying not to let my curiosity that I have felt ever since I had heard the cannon seep into my question. Feeling bad about wanting to know who died.

'No my district send it to me' He's silent for a moment as we both know what it means when your district sends you something this early in the game. I'm tempted to reassure him but don't quite know how, so decide otherwise.

'So you don't know who's... well you know uhm already out' I say feeling uncomfortable for speaking about someone else's death this way. Espen throws the bottle back and sits at the edge of the pond taking of his shoes and puts his sore feet in the cooling water. Leigh smirks before answering.

'No I don't know for sure but I think and well kinda hope it's Abbot. I mean he didn't stand a chance' He looks at his feet as he ends his sentence and we both know why.

We had both spend time with the kid, I knew it was stupid but I just couldn't ignore him when he needed help. Or when he sat alone while everybody was training. I knew Leigh had done the same thing, we had kind of silently agreed to a shift. Leigh would train and I would do something with Abbot like painting then Leigh took me over so I could train.

I had felt terrible for leaving him at the cornucopia but knew I and there for Espen wouldn't stand a chance if we took him with us. It had taken everything in me to run to Espen grab him and run away, leaving Abbot alone on his knees still screaming from the burn we had all suffered from.  
I could still hear his scream echoing in my head and even imagined that he was screaming for my name, for my help.

Even thinking about it now made me sick to my stomach. I briefly considered if I had to throw up thinking back to what I did but then thought of the shame that would bring on this group and the sponsors we would lose, if we had any as it was. And hold it back tasting bile in my mouth nonetheless.

'It's silly to say but I hope it was him as well' I look back up to Leigh as my eyes had drifted to my feet as well and he looks at me at the same time. We both share a weak smile before quickly looking away.

'Well, we'll know tonight for sure.' He stops pauses before continuing 'And if it's not him, I guess I'll have to go find him.' And there it was, the shame I felt was his too, only he regretted his decision and I didn't.

I didn't know what to say. I knew that if he went after him I wouldn't go with him. Cause helping Abbot would mean a death sentence for sure.

'So you know a good place to spend the night safely?' I ask changing the subject.

'Well I thought this would be a good place.' He says gesturing to the pond and it surroundings.

'Isn't it a bit open?' I ask looking at the empty space surrounding the little pond.

'Well we could sleep in the bushes. I just don't feel comfortable leaving water so soon after we have just find it.' He looks at his water bottle that's already half empty.

'Yeah guess your right. Besides you need to dry your clothes if you don't want to get sick.' I look at his soaked clothes as they clung to his body and notice how muscled he really is.

I mean he's skinny of course coming from the textile district but his upper body shows nicely threw his soaked green sweater. I quickly avert my gaze as a smile creeps across his face and I turn to hide the blush that is no doubt showing on my cheeks and he starts walking over to the edge of the clearing surrounding the pond.

I think about how strange this really is; only minutes ago it was just me and Espen and now we had someone else with us apparently. If I thought about it it sounded weird that we just assumed that we would go on together. But then it just felt kinda right. Beside I guess if I had any friend beside Espen in these games it would be Leigh.

'So we should make some dinner or something, start a fir- no better not do that' Leigh interrupts himself realizing what a mistake that would be.  
'After dinner we should take shifts guarding cause I don't think the career pack will stop hunting tonight. Not if they only got to kill one person at the cornucopia. I wonder why that is..' Leigh wonders of thinking about it as he picks some branches and disappears through some bushes.

'Maybe more people ran away this year like us. I mean everybody knows the cornucopia is a slaughtering massacre every year. It only makes sense that people wouldn't want to take the risk.' Espen says to me and I'm surprised at his insight.

I've always wondered why so many tributes took the risk. And maybe that was the answer to the lacking of deaths, this year they hadn't taken the risk. I looked at Espen and saw him in a different way now, seeing him more as an ally instead of someone I needed to protect. I mean I still had to protect him but maybe he could help with keeping himself alive.  
I smile at him and he gives me a smile back. I rough up his hair and he moans then I turn around and start running after Leigh as I doubt he knows what he's looking for.

'Hey Leigh, you know what to look for?' I ask as I make my way through the bushes. I stop in my tracks as I see Leigh sitting in his underpants as he cradles his knee to him, I see his pants hanging over some bushes behind him.

'Owh uhm I'm sorry. I didn't know you were uhm well I guess but uhm what' I stammer not knowing what to say as I've never seen a boy in his underwear before and I'm not sure what to think of it. I turn around abruptly taking a step towards the pond. When I hear Leigh trying to get up and then moaning in pain though he's trying not to. My caring nature takes over and before I know it I'm supporting Leigh on my shoulder as I slowly try to get him back on the ground.

'Wow carfull there' I say as I get him in a sitting position so he can lean against a tree. I take his hands of of his knee that he went back to cradling to and suck in some air as I see the giant blue turned purple and now black bruise that has covered his entire knee.

'I didn't know it was this bad. Why didn't you tell me?' I ask in shock as I realize in how much pain he must've been in this whole time.

'It's nothing' He says covering his knee with his hands again as if some how that releases the pain. 'I mean it's not broken or anything, just bruised' He gives a weak smile as for the first time he looks up at me. I look back at him but don't return the smile he throws me as I'm feeling way to angry to try and lighten the mood, which he obviously is trying to.

'Your knee is turning black! That's not nothing!' I nearly scream at him 'You should've told me' I say as I stubbornly sit myself next to him my hands trying to get his of of his knee and failing.

'So you could've done what? Worry about me? Come on it's nothing really and you've already got more then enough to worry about.' He leans his head back against the tree as if this conversation is to much to handle and as his words sink in I can do nothing but just stare at him; his blonde hair that's slowly drying, his long face with his proud nose, his broad shoulders that seem slumped now but are always straight. And I can't help but wonder why?

I know that he's right; if he would've told me I would worry about him, like I am now. I wouldn't think about leaving him as so many people would do in my situation, but why? I left Abbot to his destiny, why not this boy? Why did he already mean something to me though I had only spoken to him a couple of times? Was it cause we had looked after Abbot together? Or maybe it was this strange bond-line-spark thingy? Or just that he seemed like a genuine nice, caring, smart, fun and kinda hot guy?

As I'm pondering this I realize my hands have been still against his the whole time and he's been looking at me to. I try to take my hands away but he grabs them and leaves them on his knee. I'm realizing again that he's in his underpants and I'm touching his knee leaving a small distance to travel up to. My hands feel kinda warm all of the sudden and I'm way to aware of that I'm touching him. I can feel my stomach tightening and twisting as the all to familiar blush makes it way to my cheeks again.

Leigh slowly leans back up and away from the tree crossing the distance between us. The air suddenly seems hot around me and I can't help but open my mouth a litlle so I can take deeper breaths. My head is spinning with the possibility this moment gives us and as I see Leigh slowly turning his head and leaning over I can no longer form coherent thoughts and am left only feeling the burning desire that is slowly taking over me. His lips find mine carefully as we keep holding each others gaze trying to see what reaction our actions provokes in one another. I can feel the soft pressure of his lips on mine and I'm about to respond with the same tenderness when we are interrupted my nearing footsteps followed by Espen calling for us.

'Hey guys? Cela! Leigh! Where are you? Are you okay? What's taking so long?' Espen whispers in a loud voice making me jump up leaning on Leighs bad knee which makes him slump forward in pain while he zips in a deep breath.

'Uhm we were just uhm well getting the uhm' I stammer out while looking around me for something to do.

'Owh you two found a place to spend the night! It's perfect, well done.' Espen says while sitting on a pad of grass next to Leigh who's been staying quiet this whole time.

But when I look around I see Espen is right. It's the perfect place for the night. Instead of the little twigs that seem to be the main thing covering this forest ground, there's a little patch of grass covering our small clearing and the bushes seem to hide us enough. We can still lookout through small openings but nobody would think of looking close enough at the bushes to see us.

'Uhm yeah that was what we were doing' I just say while looking away trying to hide the relieve that must be clear on my face.  
'And I was just going out trying to find us something to eat.' I say while making my way out of our little shelter for the night.

'Wait I'll come with you' Leigh says trying to stand up.

'No!' I say a little to harsh which makes Espen look suspiciously at me and Leigh clearly hurt.  
'I mean it's better if I go about it alone. I know what I'm looking for so it won't be long.' I throw them both a smile before heading out.

I take a deep breath trying to erase the uncomfortable feeling that hS overwhelmed me ever since Espen interrupted us.  
What was I thinking? This wasn't the time for things like this. It would cost our head if I started caring about anyone else besides Espen. It was hard enough being in the games with one person you cared for let alone two.

'Stay clear headed Cela. Don't let emotions over rule your better sense.' I whisper to myself. Though I already know it's useless. I've never kissed a boy like that. Like... so... careful. I've never felt what I've felt then, my stomach is still feeling light .  
'God' I say as I clamp by stomache tight hoping it would make the light fluttering feeling cease.  
'Okay, so you care for him. That doesn't mean you care more for him then Espen or even yourself for that matter. So just find food get back and rest, we'll see how it all turns out.' I straighten up while looking around me for the right type of plants.

Straight away I see a patch of clovers at the bottom of a huge tree so I pick them up before examining the tree. When I look a bit higher I see some kind of fruit dangling from the branches and they look kinda familiar so I think they should be good as well.  
I go back to our shelter to drop the clovers of since I need to have my hands free to climb the tree. Leigh looks at me as I enter our shelter but I try to avoid his gaze though I notice straight away that he has got his pants back on, I quickly turn around before my redened cheeks betray my observation.

Once I'm back to the tree I pull myself up on a branch to find a weak balance, I lean on my stomach holding the branch tight with one hand trying to get more stable while reaching with my other hand for the fruit. Thankfully some of the fruits are in my reach and after dropping everyone on the ground I slide myself down as well.

I look at my winnings seeing I've seem to have manage to get about 8. I look at the fruit and see that their a type of kiwi that I've eaten before, most of them are already purply red and ready to go. But even the yellow ones we can already eat. I put them all in my chocolate brown t-shirt while hiking it up at the end so I can carry them to our little hide out. When I drop them all on the floor next to the bundle of clovers I can't help but smile. I did a pretty good job if I had to say so myself.

'Wow your good' Leigh says while picking up one of the kiwi like fruit. ' I knew you could eat clover but I would've never saw these let alone knew you could eat them' He takes a big bite and I can't help but laugh as the juice this fruit so well contains spills out and starts dripping from his chin.

'Well I'm not surprised at all. Everyone knows Cells good with her plants.' Espen says while picking one up and eating it to.

'Yeah well, to bad we can't take a bunch with us. They're a real treat' I say while nibbling on a clover.

We finish our small meal in silence nobody is near enough full since we've been living it capitol style these last couple of days. But we don't moan and try to get ourselves comfortable for the night.

'Cel you get between us. I know how you always get cold easily and somehow I think this night will be freezing.' Espen says while shuffling over so there's room between him and Leigh. I know he's right I can already feel the chill of the night air as is slowly becomes dark. But somehow I don't think it's s good idea for Leigh and me to be so close.

'Well who's on guard duty first?' I ask refusing to get anywhere near Leigh and therefore Espen.

'I'll take the first shift' Espen says while holding down a yawn

'Nice try but I'll do it. I won't be able to sleep anyway.' I volunteer knowing this is the truth. I'm far to stressed out by the day and the low killings to even think about sleeping.

'Okay, just wake me up when it's my turn okay?' Espen says while turning on his side and trying to get comfy.

It's silent for a long time while I'm just looking through the openings for any danger. I'm so preoccupied by my guard duty that I flinch when Leigh suddenly sits next to me. I shuffle away a little trying to keep as much distance between us without being obvious about it, to bad it doesn't work.

'Come on Cel, look I'm sorry if I like... well I dunno crossed a line or something but it's not like you went kicking and screaming.' Leigh whispers trying not to wake Espen up.

I can feel the warmth of a blush already coming up as he talks about our kiss earlier. The one thing I've been trying not to think about this whole time.

'It's just that... well it's not really smart now is it?' I whisper back not daring to look at him while twirling a strand of my blond hair around my index finger.

'I know it isn't but come on. It's not like... well I really feel something for you, you know? And maybe in these games when you don't know whether you gonna live another day, where every moment can be your last, I just take my chances... But I'm sorry, it was to soon I see that now.' Leigh whispers back and as he's trying to explain himself I see that he has got it all wrong. It's not that it's to soon, I mean if it was I wouldn't feel the way I feel whenever I know he's looking at me. It just feels right. It's just that it's not smart to start caring for someone in the games, ever.

'Leigh it's not that.' I say reaching for his hand as I see the hurt on his face 'It's just.. well what good will come from it? There is only one winner Leigh, one not two or three just one.' I say while looking at Espen my mind wondering for the thousand time what I'm gonna do when the time comes.

'But Cela, don't you see? The destination doesn't really matter it's the road that you travel, the people that you meet, the relationships that you develop. I mean when it's time to go I don't want to look back and regret things you know? So I just thought that I could better kiss you now then regret not kissing you when it's to late' He squeezes my hand while turning my head with the other making me look at him.

And besides the pang I got when he was talking about his own death and can feel nothing else but this warm tingling sensation in the pit of my stomach. I think I can drown it those green eyes forever and that nothing else matters as long as I can just keep looking at them and that's when I know he's right. It's not about who's going to die or live it's what we are going to do while we are still alive and with that in mind I cross the distance between us and kiss Leigh with all the passion I held back earlier.

The kiss starts out slowly and carefull like the first one as we look at each other intently feeling each others breath against our skin as we start softly kissing each other but as our tongues meet I can feel his hand moving away from my chin and down my back as he presses me to him more firmly. The air around me becomes hot again and I can't help but start to breath more heavily as I slide my hand on his back to close the nonexistence distance between us, feeling as if he can never get close enough to me.  
We fall back on the grass and I climb on top of him never breaking our kiss. My hands slowly begin to move under his shirt as I finally feel the muscles of his chest I've been dreaming about all day and I can hear him sigh in surprise. I feel his cold hands sliding up the small naked spot at my back in respond and I suppress a shiver. We break our kiss for an instant and both breath deeply as the air seems thicker then before. God even his hot breath against my skin makes my insides scream for more I briefly think as our lips meet again. I can see the bright light fall onto Leighs face before I can hear the all to familiar anthem playing and we both break our kiss again to look at the sky. We see a picture of Abbot with his name and district and suddenly the desire that seemed to have my body in it's control only minutes ago disappears.

'Guess you won't be going to find him then after all' I say before roling over on my side next to Leigh. He takes a deep breath before I can feel him snugly up against me.

'Go to sleep my dear Cela I'll watch over us' He says while kissing along my neck ending on my cheek. He sits back up again leaning against a tree. I get up on my elbows and crawl over to him positioning myself in his lap. He starts to stroke my hair to the back of my ear softly touching my earlobe as he passes and I can't help but sigh in content feeling warm all over.

'Look some ones having a fire' Leigh whispers while pointing in a certain direction. But I don't care I've got all the warmth I need right here.

* * *

_Day 1:_

__

1 st  
_Male District 6_  
_Abbot Scires_  
_Deceased_

_22 to go_

* * *

**So this was my second chapter :D**  
**Hoped you all liked it but I would like to know for sure so... REVIEW :D, positive and/or negative feedback are welcome as I would like to improve :)  
As always thank you for reading :)**

**xxxo Miss-Almond  
**


	4. Chapter 4 Ashes

Male district 7  
Erix Bjurn  
Partner: alive

* * *

**Ashes**

I flicked my silver lighter open with my thumb, and turned the wheel creating a flame.  
I smiled at the irony, this lighter was my district token, a strange thing to bring since I came from the lumber district even more so for me specifically, but I suppose I just have a dark sense of humor.  
I knelt down, and held the fire against the dry leaves and grass that lay under the wood.

Some of the careers wanted to keep moving but me and Daemyn voted against that.  
Not because we were tired, of course we weren't, but because we really needed a break from Willow's constant talking.

Willow the girl who is, like me, not a career, and who is now once again trying my patience.

"Ooooh nice lighter, is that real silver?" She says leaning over trying to see it, since I'm still kneeling by the fire.

Her legs are straight as she leans her upper body downwards her arms at her back, giving me a good view of her cleavage though I'm pretty sure she doesn't mean to.

She's pretty, which is the only reason she's here, unlike me she isn't strong or good at anything, apart from looking pretty.  
The dresses she wore during the interview and the parade made it very clear how she was supposed to stand a chance in the games, look pretty and get sponsors.  
And the way she looked wearing them she didn't seem verry content with it, sure she laughed and made sure all the attention went to her but I could see it was fake.

Not that I cared, I don't do caring, I just notice.  
I quickly look away back to the fire before she notices too, me staring at her chest that is, because I really don't want her thinking I like her.  
Right now she is too easy and too annoying.

"Nope, just metal. I can't stand the touch of silver." I say answering her question without looking at her. Though I can feel her green eyes trying to have eye contact.

I look at Daemyn who is standing a few feet away from the group, his back turned towards us, as he stares through the dark woods, looking for god knows what.  
And leaving me here, alone to be annoyed by, as Ashton likes to call her, little miss sponsorship.

"Well I think it's real nice, did you know that they say if you have earrings its always better to use silver because if you use normal metal you can get an infection, silver doesn't its clean somehow." She says in a high pitched voice. While twisting a brown lock around her finger.

I flick my lighter open, light its flame and stare at it intensly before saying to her in a low voice.

"Did you know that they say, when you light some one on fire they suffocate while the person burns, because the fire steals all the oxygen. Not sure though I never tried it out."

She pulls back at my words, gives me an awkward smile and then turns on her heels and quickly walks away and starts helping Ashton and Helene examine the contents of the backpacks.

I hear a chuckle next to me and turn to find Daemyn.

"Thanks for leaving me alone with her."

He grins.

"Sorry dude."

He looks back over his shoulder.

"I was just... checking."

I nod, I've been noticing it too.  
There is something in these woods, and its close.  
I can sense it, like something watching us.  
I am however pretty sure that Daemyn knows more about this then he is letting on.  
But I don't care enough to ask so I just get up and wipe the dirt off my jeans.

The fire is starting up nice, smoke crawls up out of the fire like a snake and makes its way towards the sky, and wonder if right now the weak tributes are looking at it and are relieved to find that we are not hunting tonight.  
Not that it matters much, as soon as I have my weapons its game over for them anyway.

Don't get me wrong its not like I enjoy killing.  
Well perhaps I do, I mean its not like I ever really tried it out, but I don't plan on dying in this shitty game show, so there isn't really any other option.

I brush my hands through my blond shoulder lenght hair and sigh.

"Damn I'm bored." I say.

Daemyn nods.

"Yeah what I wouldn't do for some whisky right now."

"Or a smoke." I reply.

I look over at Willow.

_The chick does have allot of sponsors... And she'd do about anything for me..._ I think, really wanting a smoke now.

Daemyn probably knew what I was considering because the next thing he says.

"Seriously dude, don't go there."

This only makes me want to go ask her for it more though so I throw him a grin, and he answers me by rolling his eyes and shaking his head.

"Willow." I call for her.

She looks up at me from one of the backpacks and then behind her as if there was another Willow here for which I was calling.  
I throw my head back in a way for her to come to me and she stands up and obeys while Ashton mutters something about me calling Willow by her name and not her.  
She comes up to me and pulls a strand of her shoulder length hair behind her ear.

"What's up?"

I give her a smile and she blushes uncomfortably.

"I was wondering if you could get us some cigarettes and scotch."

She looks behind me at Deamyn and then at her feet, the strand of hair she had just put behind her ear falling loose again.  
I move my hand under her chin and lift her face up to look at me, while using my other hand to brush back the strand of hair behind her ear again.  
Her normally green eyes turn slighty gold at the reflection of the last evening sun. And I briefly think how that makes her even more pretty, but not less annoying offcourse.

"You didn't take it seriously right, the thing about lighting someone on fire, I mean do you really think I would be capable of doing something like that?" I say, looking into her eyes.

She blushes and shrugs, softly shaking her head.

"No." Her voice almost a whisper.

"Well then, if your sponsors would be so kind to give us cigarettes and scotch. How about I promise I'll make sure nothing bad happens to you."

I swallow, sofrly caresing her cheek before moving my hands from her face and putting them into my pockets, and look at the ground.

"Well you know at least until, well..."

I shrug.

"I just, I promise I'll try..."

I sigh, and look at her again, but not deep into her eyes again, more distant.

"Never mind..." I say giving her a weak smile.

She speaks again now.

"It's okay, I'll give it a shot."

She grabs my hand and I fight the urge to pull away from her.

I think she is just playing along, recognizes my facade but knows at least this will give her some air time, but then she smiles and gently strengthens her grip on my hand before releasing it.

And I think she is actually falling for my lies, her eyes seem too sincere, too understanding.

And I suppress the urge to chuckle at it because I realise what she is thinking, she thinks that I'm acting, that my laid back arrogance is an act.  
I guess my acting is better than I realised because all I wanted was for her to think that I didn't desperately wanted her dead.

I clear my throat.

"Thanks girl." I say, pretending like I'm trying to get my cool back.

She grins and looks up at the sky.

"I would really like some cigarettes and scotch please!" She calls towards the stars.

"What!" Ashton's voice yells

She drops the backpack she was holding, gets up and starts making her way towards us with big steps, Ashton shoves Willow out of her way, who falls down on the ground, and then she takes a last step towards me leaving less then thirty centimeters of space between us.

"Your waisting our sponsorship on booze and smokes!" She says, her hands balling into fists.

I give her an cocky grin.

"You should really learn to keep your mouth shut unless your spoken to woman." I say calmly because I know this will only annoy her more.

I hear Daemyn chuckle behind me.

"Erix come on." Thane says slightly annoyed, as I hear him making his way towards us.

But I keep my eyes on Ashton's because I know better then not to pay attention to the aggressive little bitch.

_Well little..._

"Watch your tongue asshole before I fucking rip it out." She spits at me.

I see her muscles tighten under the skin of her arms, she's buff but she doesn't scare me, I could take her on for sure and that would mean one anoying bitch less in this group.

I smile calmly at her before speaking again.

"Look why don't you just calm down and get back to arranging the food, like a good little-"

But I don't get to say more because her fist is coming for my face.

I grab her wrist just in time and manage to push her arm away before her fists reaches its destination.

But then her other fist hits me in the stomach before I have a chance to notice it.

I grunt and push her back with the hand that is still wrapped around her wrist and she falls backwards on the ground.

She wants to jump up again and I'm about to throw myself at her in response when Thane steps in front of her and kneels down, his hands on her shoulders keeping her down, which I can see takes even him with his muscled arms quite some strength.

"Ash, babe, its okay just breathe."

"Screw air! I want to rip his fucking head off!" She screams.

"He's just being an ass girl, don't waste your energy on him, we have bigger things to worry about."

_Why is he only keeping her calm, I mean sure its not smart to start fighting now but hell I've been attacked by more boyfriends then I can count, why is he not attacking me._ I think to my self.

_Perhaps cause your not screwing his girlfriend just annoying her. _My mind answers, and I decide to go with it, though deciding as well to remember not to forget the fact that he didn't attack me or even stood up for her.

Deaemyn snaps me out of my thoughts.

"Hey Erix, seem like our order has arrived."

I look back at him, since I'm pretty sure Thane will be able to keep his girl in check.

I find Daemyn looking into the sky above the forest, I follow his gaze and see something silver glimmer above the trees as it floats down.

"Great they can't even manage to aim the sponsorship right." I say sighing before walking into the forest in the direction I saw it fall.

It's dark but the moon is out and its light is just bright enough to find my way through the trees.

The silver-ish material will reflect enough to find the sponsorship as well, plus I don't want to bother making a torch with Ashton wanting to kill me.

Not that I fear her but I just want to get a smoke and a drink.

The forest calms me, coming from the lumber district it feels like home to me.  
The smell of the trees and dirt, the sound of the leaves rustling in the wind.

I'm a lumberjack and even the small cabin I inherited when my father passed is located in the woods.

I know I'm pretty lucky with my life I mean, a house, money for cigarettes and alcohol, and of course enough women what more does a man want in life.

I had it all until that asshole of a mayor said my name which I know was more than just a coincidence, which makes me only more determent to get this over with and get back to my district.  
Show him he can't get rid of me so easily and enjoy my winnings.  
I smile at the thought of how his face would look the moment I killed the last contestant.

I see something shining on the ground and walk over to it.

I kneel down and hesitate one moment at the silver colored package but I force the dumb fear for burning metal away and open it.

I smile at its content.

6 packs of cigarettes and a half liter glass bottle of scotch.

_Yeah things could be a whole lot worse._

I shove the packs in my pockets and grab the bottle, I'm about to get up when I see something move in the corner of my eye.

I fly up and am about to throw the bottle of scotch at the thing standing only about three meters away from me.  
I realise how ever that that would be a waste so I just let go of the bottle dropping it safely in the dirt by my feet.

I find that the thing is a person and I'm about to attack her when I realise I don't recognize her.  
That she's too young to be a tribute.

She seems to be about five or six years old, her red curls shine in the moon's light and her skin is pale.  
She'd look sick if it wasn't for the freckles on her nose and cheeks that almost seem like a small blush in the dark forrest.

She grabs the skirt of her forrest green dress, with white polka dots and a white petticoat, and bows like a lady, bending her knees slightly.  
And it would look cute if it wasn't for the wicked grin on her face that made her white teeth glimmer.

My jaw clenches and I feel my heartbeat increase.

_This is wrong, this is all wrong._

The game makers might be getting bored or something since we're not hunting, but what the hell maybe they should have given us weapons if they wanted to see blood.

"Good evening Erix."

She says in a small voice, looking at me with her big green eyes.

"What the fuck are you?"

She tilts her head sidewards her red curls bouncing in the movement.

"I'm Rosalyn. Its a pleasure too meet you. Unfortunately the pleasures all mine."

Then she smiles again and I feel my fists tightening, and though I would never use the term fear, I have to admit I would really like to be getting back right about now but turning my back on this thing, of which I was sure was not just a little girl, seemed like more then just a stupid idea.

"Ah don't be scared. I won't hurt you as long as you don't try to hurt me."

I chuckle, and give her a crooked smile.

"Yeah cause the capitol is so concerned of our well being." I say sarcastically.

She shakes her head.

"No I want you to die... allot, just like all the capitol who are not betting on you."

She bites her lip as if she is considering whether or not to tell me what she is about to say.  
She decides to though.

"Your a mean boy you know, your bad and the lady who smelled like roses hates you now." She says play fullness creeping up in her eyes.

My throat runs dry at this, and my teeth clench even harder.

I can almost feel the scar on my neck burning again at the memory.

Because I know who she's talking about, even though she can not possibly know that.

She is talking about my mother who died, my mother who I don't even remember, except for the fact that she smelled like roses and how she screamed, stumbling as her slender body burned.  
I swallow hard and force down the images that want to fill my mind.

"You little bitch!" I growl through my teeth.

I want to grab her by her hair and punch her face to pulp but I fight the urge, push down the need to tear the child to pieces.

But I try not to because I'm not a total idiot, I doubt it is a normal girl, maybe she's not even human since that would be against the rules.

Not that the game makers always obey their own rules, but putting a normal child in here just wouldn't make much sense.

She smiles to me again.

"I would be a good boy, if I were you. I get real naughty when I'm scared."

I grin trying too stay calm.

"Too bad I would have loved to break that little neck of yours."

Her face changes, anger filling her eyes.

"That's not nice to say, you know. And she doesn't smell like roses anymore any way she's all gone and ashes." She says smiling at the last bit and I restrain myself not to try to attack her again.

"Fuck you." I say and then just turn, grab the bottle of scotch from the ground and walk away.

I am slightly worried she'll attack me but I am not about to lose my cool and start running from a freaking toddler.

When I reach our spot I increase my speed and walk up to Daemyn.  
I grab him by the throat and press his back against a tree.  
I hear the rest flying up at my sudden aggression but don't bother to look at their reaction.  
For a moment Deamyn seems shocked but then his eyes change, he even smiles his crooked grin and he just seems to be enjoying the fun of me wanting to kill him.

"What the hell are you doing with that fucking monster."

His excitement changes to confusion now and he looks at me questioning.

"Dude calm down, what the hell are you talking about?" He says in a voice to calm for someone who had a firm grip around his throat.

_He's so much like me sometimes too bad he's a goner now._ I think to myself before yelling at him again.

"That girl, that fucking evil toddler from the capitol!"

He frowns at my words but its sincere, and if there's something I'm good at, besides getting laid that is, its reading people.  
So I let my grip go and slide my hands through my hair.

"Did you down the bottle already man, what the hell is up with you?" Daemyn jokes not even brabbing for his neck as most people would.

I give him a look but can't help smiling.

"There was this little girl, like five or six, tried to mess with me."

"Didn't work but she pissed me off good, I think that what she does tries to get you to beat the shit out of her, not sure why. But I think its best not to go there." I say leaving out the part of her mentioning my dead mother.

"Don't get me wrong. If I thought it was a good idea to kill her I would have, might have even been creative in, as too how I'd go about it. But I don't trust it's that easy." I finish.

A high pitched voice decides to annoy me again.

"How could you want to murder a little girl?" Willow says shocked.

And it makes me want to hit her but I just take a deep breath and decide to ignore her.

"I don't know what the game makers have planned for this year but I bet there is more to this forest then it seems." I say.

I hear Helene chuckle and I turn to her.

"What?" I say slightly meaner then I meant to.

She shakes her head smiling.

"Just that you get attacked by a toddler, and return planning to off Daemyn but don't forget to bring the scotch on your way back. "

I smile at her, I like her actually, she's pretty cool, she's pretty cute too and not as annoying as Willow.  
Then again there aren't alot of things in life as anoying, as Willow.  
She quickly turns at my gaze grabs a cracker, and sits down leaning against a tree, turning her attention at her food.  
Thats the only problem, she thinks I'm arrogant, I'm sure I could get her too like me if it wasn't for her not wanting to boost my ego.

I take off my red lumber jacket and throw it on the ground then I sit leaning my back against a tree near the fire.

I only have a white tank top but its warm near the fire and I don't want to get my jacket smelling like booze.

I open the bottle of scotch and take a sip while Daemyn sits down next to me staring at the fire, I hand him the bottle and then take a cigarette from one of the packs and light it.

I inhale its smoke and feel my body finally relaxing, and chuckle at the whole situation.

"What?" Daemyn asks turning his face towards me.

I shake my head.

"Nothing... everything." I say.

He looks back at the fire and I do the same.

I take the bottle I know he's handing me, even without looking at him, and hand him a cigarette flicking my lighter open for him to light his cigarette with.  
Its too bad things are the way they are, if we were from the same district, and weren't in a battle to the death I'm sure we would have been great friends.  
Even now I'm pretty sure I never had a better friend then him back in my district, all the guys my age there are weak morons.  
I sigh, and take a another sip putting my lighter in my jean pocket, and hand him the bottle again without looking.

I look at the sky and see a thin line of smoke crawling up and wonder what it is, it seems too small to be from a camp fire, perhaps a torch.  
But its too far, and I really don't want to bother with a hunt right now so I decide not to mention it.

"What was up with you punching the mayor in the face when you got reaped anyway, you got beef with him or something?" Daemyn asks me still looking at the fire.

I'm greatfull he's changing the subject instead of asking what exactly happened with me and the child in the woods.

I smile at the memory.

"Yeah sort off. He made sure he'd pick me, no question."

Daemon looks at me and I turn to him to find him frowning.

"Hows that?"

I shake my head.

"Suppose he didn't like the fact that I was screwing his daughter in his and his wife's bed." I grin.

"She was wearing nothing but her pink little petticoat and stockings, I mean the girl's like fifteen seriously I wouldn't have gone there if it wasn't for her being so..."

I bit my lip at the memory.

"Anyway he walked in on us, ah you should have seen his face, it was his youngest daughter even."

I take another inhalation from my smoke and then continue.

"He was all screaming, then he punched me I just smiled and said 'don't worry sir, I promise your daughter isn't a slut. I should know, just popped her cherry after all.' I guess he didn't really like me after all that."

Daemon chuckles.

"Seriously Erix, that was one dumb move."

I shrug.

"Nah, I'm making it out of here anyway so it doesn't really matter. Its just a bit bothersome that's all."

"Yeah well I wouldn't count on it too much. After all I'm still here you know."

I grin.

"Yeah well we'll see. Either way I'm sure the last fight will be pretty awesome."

He nods.

"For sure."

Daemon gets up grabs a cereal bar from one of the bags and throws it into the woods and stands there for a while before turning on his heels and walks back to me.

"What your feeding that thing now?" I ask even though I now know that it isn't the capitol toddler that is watching us from the shadows.

He grins and sits down next to me.

"Little girls need to eat properly if they want to be big and strong when they grow up." He jokes.

I nod and pass him the bottle.

"By the way, you didn't really mean what you said right? About keeping Willow alive as long as you could."

I turn to him to make sure he sees how serious I am about what I'm about to say next.

"Trust me. I will kill her as soon as I get a chance I promise." I say not too softly making sure she can't hear me.

I notice how silent it is all of a sudden and look over the rest of the group.  
Willow and Helene are sleeping.  
And Ashton is leaning in Thane's arms as he whispers things in her ear.

"You hear that?"

"I don't hear anything." Daemon says.

"Exactly." I point out and let out a content sigh.

Then we just sit there in silence watching the fire.

And I think not about my mother burning and screaming in our old house.  
Not of how my silver necklace scarred my chest, as it burned from the heat of the flames.  
Or how, I screamed for my mother as my father held me in his arms.

I just smoke my cigarette and play with my lighter.  
As I stare at the flames eating the wood into embers, and watch how the ashes are carried away in the morning wind.

**Okay so this was chapter four, my dear reader.  
I hope the beginning of the story does clear up in the end, with him finding it ironic that he has brought a lighter as a district token and his comment to Willow.  
Please review and tell me what you think.**

**Have you found the Easter egg by now?**  
**It's still dificult so if you haven't yet, there will be more hints in other chapters.**  
**When you find it don't forget to PM us so we will send you the alternative ending once we get there.**

**Now go and click on that review button, I know you can do it.**  
**Just click on it, its not that difficult, I promise.**

**Stravvberry**


	5. Chapter 5 Where there's red smoke

_Male district 9  
Daichi Yakuta  
Partner: Alive_

* * *

**Where there's red smoke  
**

I have searched every inch of the surroundings of my planned fire. And I'm trying to build some kind of structure to keep the pheasant above the fire without the structure falling and the pheasant getting burned. That would be really bad, to get the bird that I had a hard enough time with catching, without any weapons, get to waste like that.

I could already imagine the scene the capitol has broadcast; me running after this pheasant and it was just making chicken noises while running around in circles. Some trumpet comedy music playing in the background while I was trying to jump on the bird but mostly ended up crouched on the ground scraping my knees.

I let out a sigh while shaking my head. It was going to be tough to survive here without any weapons. I haven't even found a good rock yet to sharpen a stick with. It had been a quick forceful twist of the neck that had ended the pheasants live.

I've seen all of the carreers going the other way even the two who left early, so I have nothing to fear from that front. Still if the other games have taught me anything it is to never underestimate the poorer districts. For they to have their winners.  
I know it's stupid to take the risk but if I'm correctly nobody has got any weapons and the risk there for isn't that great.  
Even so I take my place behind a tree with a bush that provides view of the fire while hiding me from sight at the same time.

I've made sure the fire isn't to big and left enough space between every piece of wood so oxygen can reach and there for the fire doesn't smoke that bad. Thank god it hasn't rained during the night other wise all the wood would be wet and my little fire would smoke like a mad men.

I take seat against the tree and pull my elastic band out of my hair making a new ponytail with my black hair. I had wanted to cut it all of for the sake of these games but my stylists had screamed and told me if I would ever dare do that they would just die. And besides it suited my whole Asian martial arts vibe I had going on my mentor had said. I sighed as I wished for the thousands time I hadn't listened to them and just cut it all of. Let alone the ridiculous outfit they had put me in. I felt like a kungfu master in this black robe with red band and pants, I didn't even like kungfu let alone practice it. But hey at least it was comfortable. Not like the leather pants that guy Daemyn had put himself in.

I smile as I remember him freaking out about his shoes. But then recover myself as I think about what happened afterwords.  
Get over it Daichi, kids are going to get killed. That is what this game is all about. You better get used to it. I tell myself again as I remember Abbot screaming his lungs out and his body spasms as he slowly reached his end destination. Well that's a nice way to call death.

I shrug myself out of my thoughts and look over at my fire where the bird is slowly getting cooked. I have ripped it to pieces and put the pieces on the stick that is now hanging over the fire. It will take some time for the meat to get cooked but I'll leave straight away when it is.  
It shouldn't be to far anymore anyway.

You should be okay in these games, you kill for a living. I say to myself trying to brighten my mood as I think about how I could never do what Daemyn did, could never kill a human. But my weak attempt only brings me more down as it triggers the concern that keeps lingering at the back of my mind. How are they going to get through without me? Come on you know how. The way your mother has been doing for years.

I've never liked the work my mother does. But I've hated it since I noticed that my older sister Karia has been getting a bit to involved in it as well.  
I mean I understand it, as the oldest out of the four she feels responsible. That's why I signed up to hunt at the age of twelve instead of going to school like the other kids did. We all wanted a better life for each other, a different life.

That's why I hated to see Karia going out at night and not coming home till early morning. I knew she was to young to really have clients. But she was getting in the scene and soon people ,or rather man, wouldn't ask about her age anymore.  
Soon she would be quiting her job as a gutter at the factory and would work with my mom. I knew mother didn't like it, but Karia would make double the money she would make at the factory. I clench my hands into fist as they lay in my lap. I can imagine the effect my lack of income would have on my family. It wasn't just about money it was about the food I brought as well.

The supervisor of the hunters was a favorite client of my mom and that's why he had allowed me to enter at twelve. He was the one who had taught me how to kill efficiently, without unnecessary pain. He was also the one who let me bring 10% of my earnings back home, against the normal 5%. At first this wasn't allot. But as my skills developed over the years I started bringing back more and more and now a days I bring home dinner for the five of us every day.

I had tried to teach Leya to hunt for a year now and she was doing okay. Though she was needed at home to look after Traicy who was only 1 year now. As soon as I realized what Karia was getting herself into I had dragged Leya with me into the forest. Teaching her all I knew in the hope for a different path for her. I knew she wouldn't go to school like the rest of us and though girls weren't aloud to hunt I knew he would let her in if anything happened to me, for my mother sakes.

I look up at the sky an see that the sun is nearly at it's highest point, meaning it's close to noon.  
I can't believe that only a day has gone by in these games already, it feels like a week.  
Then again if it had been a week there would've been more dead. Even the one dead we had now was less then it should be.

Though it's not a surprise. Not only did allot of kids run instead if going to the cornucopia, there wasn't any weapons.  
There for the carreerpack didn't go on a hunt, which they normally did, especially if the killing count was this low.

I still didn't get why the capitol was with holding weapons. Didn't the whole point of these games was to kill each other as brutally as possible.  
And though I didn't doubt that not everyone needed weapons to do that, most of us did.

It all had to do something with these numbers, these scars that they had conflicted on us. Though I didn't know why yet. And I didn't know if everyone had gotten one or just the carreerpack, Abbot, Shatter and me. Though I doubted that, it was still a possibility.

So I know they all have one, I don't know who has what. Which I'm pretty disappointed about. It wasn't like me to miss something big like this.  
I was always paying attention to everything. That's why I knew every ones district, name and most specialties I had catch up on during training.

So I'm pretty wrecked that I missed something as big as a clue like this, I guess I was just to distracted with what was happening around me; my burn, Sierra running for the cornucopia stopping with a confused look on her face, Ashton smashing Helene against the cornucopia then attacking Erix, Caine calming the situation down though he was anxious about something, Shatter hiding in one of the trees surrounding the forest, no weapons in the cornucopia, they all crawling in the shell to look at something, Caine and Ruby suddenly leaving the group, then of course Daemyn killing Abbot and the ground falling in on itself on a small side of the clearing.

Yeah, there had been plenty going on to make me miss scars on necks. Though it was still a mistake, a big one.

After the carreerpack had left I waited till I was sure they were gone and I was just about to make my way out of the bush I had been hiding in when I saw Shatter jumping out of the tree with one quick smooth movement crouching to soften her fall.

We were both in the same district and so you would think we would be allies or at least know each other.  
But she had made it clear that she was going to this on her own back in the train when we were left alone for the first time.  
I didn't mind that much though I would've liked having a ally to survive with but I was okay on my own as well.

Our mentors had picked up on us and trained us separately. Truth is I didn't even know her back in our district. Not that that said allot since I don't really have any friends but still I never even seen her around.

So I was a little sketchy at aproaching her but I knew that the pack had left a few things and I wasn't about to sit back and let her take everything.

When I appeared she turned around in one swift movement and threw two pine cones straight at my head.  
I blocked one and moved so that the other would hit me in the shoulder. And though they're only small things and not even that hard, I instantly felt a sting of pain in my shoulder. I didn't want her to have the satisfaction of being able to hurt me though so I just kept on walking as if nothing had happened.

She stiffened for a moment looked carefully around her without taking her full attention away me. For a moment I thought she was going to run but then she must've decided that I was no threat or that she could handle me if I was. Cause she just made her way to where the carreers had laid all the stuff out and started sorting things through.

'So our mentors must've gave us the same advise.' I said trying to show that I meant no harm to her right this moment.

'I came up with the idea myself actually.' She snapped at me 'I wouldn't take advise of a stupid whore who slept her way through the games.' She continued without looking at me.

I briefly considered if she knew about my mothers work and was trying to outrage me or not. I didn't want to fight some one already though so I let it slip and not take it personally.

And besides Cornelia had slept her way to her winning. She had joined the carreerpack, waited till they had killed all the other districts, seduced the guys and killed them when they hadn't had their guards up. Guess she was lucky though, the carreer girls weren't that tough that year.

'So did they leave anything good?' I ask while kneeling down across from her and looking at the goods. She doesn't answer, just shrugs and keep on going through the stuff picking out things she needs.

She's not much of a talker, or rather a unnecessary talker. Well me to. So I just shut upped, picked up a full water botlle, a compass and a sleeping bag and went for the cornucopia wanting to know what they were looking at.

I could feel Shatters eyes staring at me and turn around to see she's looking at my neck. I instinctively reached my hand up to cover my burn and noticed that it didn't burn as bad as it did and still should've done.  
I heard her getting up and following me to the cornucopia.

I leaned over so I could see the inside of the shell and frowned at what I saw. It was a neatly drawn circle divided in twelve equal pieces. Inside every piece is a square with a number in it. There's a smaller circle in the middle with a big red dot in it. Above the map there's Play Nice written in a looped handwriting.

I felt Shatter beside me and when I looked next to me I saw her looking at the circle with the same confused look that I felt.

'What is it?' She asked

'I dunno. A message?' I guessed

'Hmmm, but what's that circle for then?' She asked more to herself then to me. I can see confusen disappear on her face and we both back out of the cornucopia.

'What?' I asked confused, feeling as if I'm missing something

She had figured something out and was contemplating if she was going to share it with me or not.

'I'll give you the sleeping bag.' I said wanting to know what she knew.

She held up her hand and I handed her the sleeping bag thinking if she ran of now I could probably catch her and get it of of her.

'I think it's a map, and the numbers must be connected to the ones on us. Like your two.' She said while turning around and heading for the edge of the clearing.

'Where are you going?' I asked a bit shocked that she really just told me what she had figured out and was just planning on leaving straight afterwords.

She looked around shrugged her shoulders while saying 'To follow my number.' As if that made sense and then she disappeared into the forest.

I frowned shaked my head let out a heavy sigh and returned to the so called map.

'But then she's going the wrong way.' I muttered to myself as she's heading north-west while she must be going south according to the six on the map.

I shrug it of though rather willing her to die by the hands of the carreerpack then by my own.

So that's where I'm heading out now, to my number. I'm just glad that my number isn't where the carreers went.  
I get up and walk over to my fire carefully looking around me for any sign of another tribute being here.

It seems nice and quiet so I make my way over to my pheasant to discover that it's already cooked. I rip up a piece of my robe and start wrapping up the meat in it. I leave one piece to eat now and slowly start chewing the tough structure of the meat. It doesn't exactly taste nice cause it's missing the right herbs but it will do.

I put the packed meat behind my sash, or obi, thinking atleast it can serve a purpose besides making me look ninja.  
I get my compass out and search for north east since there is where my 2 on the map was. Once I have it I start my journey again walking through this creepy forest.

Well to be honest the forest itself isn't that creepy it's just that it's not my forest. The light comes in differently here, to bright, to yellow. Nothing like the dark misty light back home. The trees aren't like the old ones back in my district. The ones you couldn't even see the tops of that's how high they were. Even the sounds are all wrong here, it's to much, there are always birds chirping like it's a good sunny day.  
It's not like the dead silence of my forest where you can only hear the scrunching of your boots while walking on the mushy leaved ground.

This forest is just to beautiful, to cheerful, to sunny, to bright, to... perfect.

I miss my forest. I think to myself as I slowly begin to walk to the rhythm of my own heart.

I knew I should be nearly there. I had already walked a great distance yesterday and this morning. But I was still surprised to already see a big red 2 on a tree bark when I had only walked for an hour or so.

It was on a big oak tree that stood in the midlle of a field and the two was painted in a bright red. Which made it look like it was painted in blood.  
I was so happy to have arrived that I had already stepped into the open clearing before coming to a abrupt stop and quickly examining the place.

Everything seems okay I think to myself. Though still carefull I make my way to the tree, softly stepping on the grass as to make as less noise as possible.

When I reach the tree I look at the bark beneath the 2 and see two hands imprinted in it, like children do on paper. The wood is smooth where the hand prints are and I notice straight away that the left hand is smaller and thinner then the right one.  
I trace the bigger one with a finger and discover that it has these little lines as if some one really has pressed his hands in there.  
You can even see the fingerprints in the top of the fingers.

There's one line bigger and deeper then the rest as it goes from the thumb downwards and I recognise it as the scar I conflicted on myself years ago when I was on one of my first hunting trips.

I had made a mistake in one of my snares and the rabbit that had been trapped in it was still alive and trying desperately to get out. Though it was clear it was way to hurt to survive if it ever did. I had walked over to it with tears stinging my eyes, disgusted that by my error this creature was suffering. I had knelt down with the rabbit in my lap, whispered to him how sorry I was before taking the dagger out of my belt. I had made one quick movement and the rabbit was dead but in my emotional state I was careless and had cut my hand doing so.

It had bled badly and I couldn't hunt for a week. But I never regretted the scar it had left behind, though the capitol had offered to take it away. I wouldn't let them. Because it made me remember to always be precise about killing another creature. To never make a mistake because it could lead to unnecessary suffering.

As I hold up my right hand with my palm facing me, I can clearly see the same line that is engraved in the tree.  
I lay my hand on it to see that it perfectly fits. The edges comfortable embracing the sides of my hand.

I hear a inhale of breath above me and immediately look up.

I see I girl perched on a branch her hands covering her mouth in shock.  
I immediately take a step back and am ready to defend myself if necessary.

I recognize her as the girl from district 8, Oceana.  
She always kept herself to herself. Smoothly manufering away from conversation. I've never even seen her talk to her district partner Leigh, though he seemed like a nice guy and he made attempts during practice to talk to her. She always just shook her head and kept doing what ever she was doing. Most of the time she was practicing knots and she was pretty good with though I could she it was not her specialty. She was clearly good with rope though so it must be something related like hanging, net making or maybe even lasso throwing.

We stand there for a moment just looking at each other, feeling out the situation.  
We both make no attempt to attack or run, so I finaly decide I must say something.

'What are you doing her?' is the first thing that slips out of my mouth as I let my hands relax at my sides as a attempt of reassuring her, though I'm not letting my guard completely down. It's obvious that she's on edge as her eyes never linger on me longer then a second and keep darting around the place.

She finaly setlles on me though as if convinced there's nothing else to worry about. She looks suprised for a second when I spoke and I can see her thinking the situation through before she slowly slides herself down to the ground.  
She stands in front of me as she offers her hand.

'I'm Oceana' She says politely, though clearly not feeling completely comfortable.

'Names Daichi' I reply while giving her a quick and easy handshake.

'I uhm...' she begins but hesitates then she must've decide to just say what ever she was going to cause she continues ' After I ran from the cornucopia I came across this tree with the letter 3.' she looks at me as if to see my reaction 'since I had two I figured if I just go against the clock and I would find two and well here I am.'

'I've got two as well' I say showing her my scar while looking for hers.

She just nods while pulling her long wavy light brown hair to the side to show me hers.

'So what's with the hands?' I ask casualy while looking over to them again.

'Well I'm guessing we both need to place our hands on the in bark ones. Since my hand fits the left perfectly and we both saw yours fit the right.' She answers me while twitching her lip to the side and looking away.

'But what will happen then?' I ask. Already seeing doom scenario of us freeing godzilla or other monstrous creatures.

'Don't know. But I'm ready to find out.' She says while looking over to my sash where I've put the meat and water bottle.

I take one pack of meat out and hand it to her with the water bottle.

'You sure?' She asks with big eyes but not waiting for a answer as she takes both and bites a mouthful of meat while taking a swig of water not even stopping to chew first.

'Yeah sure, better die satiated then starving and thirsty.' I say suppressing a smile at the sight of her.

Suddenly she seems conscious of herself cause she wipes her mouth on the light brown sleeve of her hoodie and starts chewing better, though still to fast.

After she's done she hands the botlle back to me and I put in back behind my sash.

'So maybe some rules first before we enter the unknown?' I say still feeling wary about the whole situation.

'Sure' she answer stopping to think before continuing 'What about a truce? Ending when all of this is over, ofcourse' She points to the tree with the hand prints with both index fingers 'and then we'll leave this place and not hunt for each other?' she ends the sentence in a question asking my approval while she pulls her vest and kicks her dark brown doc. martin boots against a invisible rock. And I wonder if she is as apprehensive about killing someone as I am.

'Sounds good' I say, still not ready to kill a human being. I reach out my hand so we can shake for it. Knowing some people need it as a kind of signature on a contract.

She shakes back, this time more firmly as to say that she takes it seriously and I return the pressure in reply.  
We both turn to the tree and I can feel that we are both suspicious of it and what will happen when we both lay our hand upon it.

We look at each other, she nods and we both reach out and place our right hand on the hand prints.  
First nothing happens, but then the tree begins to tremble slightly and around the big red two a square appears that steadily becomes clearer and clearer. Till finally the two falls out and I need to dodge so it doesn't hit me while still keeping my hand on the tree, bright red smoke spills out of the whole and quickly covers the whole clearing, making it impossible to see.

I try to see through it but it's momentarily to thick and I don't feel like putting my hand into the tree. not knowing what is in there.  
So I just stand there for a second with my hand still on the hand print not daring to take it of.  
I look beside me and see that Oceana is as stunned as I am cause she's standing just like me with her hand still on the hand print not daring to move.

Slowly the red smoke begins to dissipate and as is does we both make our move into the unknown.

* * *

**So what do you guys think?  
Like the cliffhanger I made there :p  
Don't worry all will be revealed in the next chapter.  
Sorry for making this another guy chapter but we don't have a order so it's all kind of random.  
Just whatever fits the story best.  
But promise the next chapter will be a girl :)**

**Let me know what you think of it by just pressing that review button below :D**

xoxo Miss-Almond


	6. Chapter 6 Acknowledge Me

Female district 5  
Willow Hollbrook  
Partner: deceased

* * *

**Acknowledge me**

I hate this feeling I have, the feeling that screams inside my lungs and scratches on the inside of my skin.  
Nobody here likes me, or better said, if it wasn't for my sponsors, each one of them would probably have killed me already.  
Well except for Erix maybe, when he asked me for scotch and smokes, and told me he'd make sure to protect me, he seemed sincere, like he didn't want to be here.  
Maybe he was like me,keeping up an act, and maybe that was reason enough for him to hold his promise.  
Sure back in the lumber district he was arrogant as well, but that doesn't mean he was happy about being in the games.  
But then again he hadn't spoken to me since, not even gave me a knowing glance, I couldn't be sure it wasn't a lie.  
And even if it wasn't, I still couldn't be sure he'd hold his end of the bargain, the games can change people.

Besides all that there was also this feeling of being followed.  
I was sure of it, Daemyn might even know who it was, sometimes I heard it in the trees.  
I tried not to think of it though, didn't try to think of who might be following us and was ready to kill me in my sleep.  
I close my eyes, and take a deep breath.

_Clear your mind Willow. Be strong, if you can survive, come back, people will see you._

When I open my eyes again a wide smile is spread across my lips.

"Hey Daemyn wait up!" I say jogging over to him.

I can see the desperation in his eyes when I reach him.

"Fuck off, Willow."

I chuckle.

"Oh come on now, don't be so grumpy."

He sighs and I see him ball his fists, but since he keeps walking, I decide he won't kill me if I continue.

"You got some water for me? Only got food in my backpack."

He grabs a bottle and tosses it to me without looking at me.

"Thanks. I was so thirsty."

I say still keeping pace next to him and Erix.  
I screw the top off and drink some water, trying to think of something to say.

"You know, " I begin, and Daemyn sighs again rolling his gorgeous brown eyes.

"when I was ten, I almost drowned once."

And it isn't true, but I need airtime and since the career pack is doing nothing but walking I might as well try to get the camera's to film me.  
Only cause they think I'm pretty.  
I think it's stupid, and also kind of gross that grown men will sponsor a girl my age cause she was forced in a see through dress.  
Capitol's pedophile pigs.  
But there isn't anything I can do about it, so I just continue my lies.

"This bully from school pushed me in, but I couldn't swim. The water was so cold and it got into my lungs. I tried to stay up but my muscles weren't working right from the cold."

I shiver as if the memory makes me feel the cold again.

"Then I woke up on the ground next to the water, my brother had saved me. I got a thick cold that year... I almost died."

Daemyn doesn't say anything but then Erix does.

"Now why would your brother do a stupid thing like that."

Daemyn looks over at Erix.

"Well atleast its clear how she got the brain damage."

Erix nods and I am once again none existant.

I start walking slower, creating a distance between me and the two young men.

I bite my lip so hard it hurts, but am careful not to draw blood.  
I try this hoping it will distract me from the other pain, the one in my lungs, and the scratching under my skin.  
But it doesn't so I give up and release my teeth from my sore lip.  
It always has been like this, I've always been like this, invisible.  
Not that people back in my district ignore me sure they greet me if I greet them but that's about it.

My mother I hardly know, she does nothing but work and sleep.  
And if I die in the hunger games I will never know her favorite colour or her favorite food.  
Will never know how she and my father met since, even though he might have time to talk, he hardly ever says a thing.  
And with three brothers, well I don't really fit in.

In the beginning it wasn't that bad.  
I was small and cute, and Reamin my oldest brother would take me into town.  
The girls comming up to him to ask how old I was, say I was cute and rub my hair.  
But then I got older and he moved out, and moved in with his girlfriend.  
Leaving me with Root and Leaf the twins who were so close you'd almost think they were siamese twins.

I bring my hand to my wrist feeling the wooden bracelet on my arm.  
I run my fingers over the small leaves that are carved in it, and invision Maples face.  
His soft brown eyes, his broad smile, his skin tanned from planting trees all day, his dark dark blonde hair.

_Yes Willow thats it. Don't forget why you have to come home, why you vowed too come home. He is the only one who cares about you, he deserves better then to lose you._

And its true, he does.

He is the only one who truly cares, who cares about my happiness, who gives me so much more then anything this world has ever given me.  
So the least I can do is, everything I can, for Maple.  
I've already stood in a see through gown in front of the whole nation, so I can't give up now.  
I wonder what he thought when he'd seen me on tv.  
Had he been sad for me, had he thought I was pretty, was he angry that they put me in a dress like that.

The dress I wore now wasn't as bad, not see through, but I had made sure it was beautiful.  
We all wore different clothes, which still seems weird to me, but I had decided not to try to think about why the gamemakers had made this choice.  
I didn't care enough for their reasons.

My stylists had decided on a silkish forest green dress which had a soft golden glow in the sunlight.  
It suited my green eyes perfectly which almost seemed golden in the sun as well.  
It ran tight over my torso showing my curves and a bit of cleavage, and grew wide were my hips started and the fabric ended too far from my knees for my taste, but if this was the way too get sponsors, even if they were dirty old men then so be it.

Because I promised Maple I'd do anything to come back, and above all I owe him to come back.

I am pulled out of my thoughts when I see Erix and Daemyn reach a clearing.

"Hey we found water." Daemyn calls.

Thane who was holding hands with Ashton pulls on her hand to go faster.

"Come on babe we can rest a bit we've been walking for so long."

Ashton raises an eyebrow.

"Tired already?"

He grins at her playfully.

"Please, didn't I show you I've got more stamina then that, two nights ago."

I quickly avert my eyes back to last line of trees.

I reach the clearing followed by Helene.  
My mouth falls open at the sight.  
Were at a patch of grass ended by a shallow stream, and on the other side of the stream is a beautiful meadow, filled with purple, yellow and red flowers.

"Wow a meadow..." I say stunned.

I walk to the stream and put my hand in the cool water.

"Nothing this pretty, can mean anything good." Hellene mutters behind me.

I look over at the other side of the stream.  
On the far end of the meadow big white rocks seem to move.  
I blink standing up to get a better view of the strange rocks.  
They move around, and would probably be higher then my knees if I was standing next to one of them, but the flowers and grass reach to high to properly make out what they are.

"Are those bunny's?" Thane asks.

And now he mentions it the image makes sense, 5 big bunny's are crowded in a circle on the far end of the meadow.

I think of what Helene had said, that this was too pretty to be good.  
And I think she's probably right.  
But nothing has been happening, and if the meadow is dangerous it would give me some airtime.  
I bring my hand to my wrist again feeling my bracelet again and take a deep breath, inhaling the sweet flowery air.

Then I clap my hands together enthusiastically.

"Ooh! Bunny's!" I say, and as if I'm the biggest idiot in the world I run through the stream.

It's shallow and reaches only a little above my ankle as I run through it.

"Damn it, sponsorship get back here moron!" Helene yells behind me.

But I ignore her, even though its stupid to continue, I need this, and I am certain its working I can almost feel the camera's filming me.  
Like knowing someone is watching you even before you see that person.  
I reach the other side and walk into the meadow.  
The bunny's are crowded around something but I can't see what it is since one is blocking my view from here.

I feel my heartbeat in my neck and I ball my fists, this isn't right.  
I take another deep breath trying to let the air calm me.  
But the metallic flower scent doesn't and I look back at the group.

Erix and Daemyn seem to be excited something is finally happening.  
Helene is standing near the trees ready to run as soon as it goes wrong.  
Ashton is near the water staring back at me with Thane behind her.  
And its not Helene making her stance ready to run, or Ashton's eyes growing wide, but its the smile creeping up Daemyn and Erix lips that lets me know something is off.

My head darts back to the bunny's  
No longer are they crowded together in a circle.  
They are looking at me, their stance ready to make an attack.  
The fur around their mouths is red and I swallow looking at what they were circling.

A baby dear is lying in the grass though not much of it is left.

_Well that explains the metallic scent, it was blood._ I think a bit to calmly for the situation.

I stand there motionless, not quite sure what to do.

Any movement now would make them fly at me I can feel it in the tension.  
And I know I have to run but I am too afraid to.

I want to cry, to be held in maples arms and hear him say it will be okay.  
To have him say he loves me and that he will always be there for me no matter what.  
But Maple isn't here, its just me and five giant killer bunny's.

_Well atleast I'll get some airtime, though it might just be the last time they'll see you alive._

Thoughts are cut off as the one on the left shoots its furry body towards me.

Before I realise it I am turned, and running back.  
My legs move quickly but I can hear the bunny nearing me.  
Pain shoots through my right thigh and I fall down.  
I turn my body over, rolling to my back and manage to see the bunny just in time.  
It jumps at me and I pull my legs up and kick it away with both my feet.  
The impact makes my right leg scream in pain but I just roll to my stomach and scramble up.  
The stream isn't far any more now, not more then five meters or so.  
But when I try to run again my leg gives in and I fall over screaming.  
Another shot of pain in the same leg, I look back finding the bunny with its teeth in my leg.  
Something kicks it and it falls back, then I fly up and fall over someones shoulder.

Its Ashton, I recognize her clothes and wonder why she decided to save me.  
She runs fast, with me over her shoulder but the bunny is back at its feet, and it and the others are running towards us now as well.  
Ashton runs through the stream and I can hear Thane yelling at her.

The bunnies reach the water but they stop there.  
Growling at us but not even touching the water.  
They can't pass it I guess.

Ashton drops me without much sympathy, making me groan in pain.

"Damn it Ash, you could've died!" I hear Thanes voice yell.

I open my eyes finding Helene coming out of the woods, and Daemyn and Erix looking annoyed.

"Better yet Ash, 'she' could've died, why would you go and ruin a good thing like that." Daemyn says.

"What and lose our sponsorship because she is anoying! I'm not gonna miss out on medical suplies just because you want her dead!"She yells back at one or both of them.

Another sharp pain hits me, not in my leg, but in my chest.

Knowing they dislike me is a whole other thing then having them say outloud that they want me dead.

Ashton kneels down beside me her eyebrows pulling together.

"You okay?"

_No._ I think.

But I know she means my physical state and I'm not sure about that so I pull myself to sit and look at my leg.  
I pull up my knee forcing myself not to whimper in pain, but the wounds are on the back and I cant see.

"I- I don't..." I mutter.

She sighs and puts her hands on my knee.

"Lie down I'll check."

I let myself fall down again.

I look at the sky as she pushes my leg up.  
Something glimmers, between the puffy clouds, and drifts down.

"There." Is all I say too numb to make a full sentence.

Not numb physically though, I can feel my leg more then enough.  
Just numb from emotion, too filled up with feelings to act, the pain in my chest too much for me to get it together right now.

Ashton looks at me with confusement for a moment before following my gaze.

"Well guess your sponsors still like you." She says as the package lands on the ground.

Thane walks over to it and hands it to Ashton.  
She opens it and takes out a cream, she twists the top off and rubs it on my wound.  
The pain resides and I sigh.

"You okay to walk?" She asks me.

I nod.

"Ashton?"

She looks at me as she gets up.

"Thanks."

"Your welcome, now lets get moving." She says offering me her hand.

I take it and she pulls me up.  
It still hurts but I know they won't wait for me, so I just clench my teeth and start lumping towards the trees when Helene speaks.

"Look."

I look at her.

She's looking at the far side of the forest, her index finger pointing towards the sky.  
I turn and see blood red clouds coming up from a distant place in the forest.  
I shiver, what ever the gamemakers are doing I don't even want to know after this.  
So I just turn away from it and walk into the woods.

.

My leg started to feel allot better after the first hour of walking.  
But the feeling in my chest hadn't, the thought, or better said the knowledge that only Ashton had tried to save me, and that everyone was annoyed that she had done so, slithered through me every step.  
And it made me slightly sad that the pain had gone down because it atleast kept my mind slightly straight.  
Now I felt it tearing through every cell of my body.

Erix is talking to Helene about something, and Ashton and Thane behind me, Daemyn is walking alone but I don't go to him with some stupid story.

I don't really do anything but put one foot infront of the other to make sure I don't get left behind.  
I know I made a promise, and I am still keeping it, but right now this is all I can do, all I can force my body and mind to do.  
I feel like my whole life has been leading up to this, my whole life I have been ignored and this is the highest point.  
That people disliked me so bad they wanted me dead.

I wonder if it can get any worse, though I slightly doubt that.  
I feel like if it would get any worse, my chest would fill up so tight with emotion I'd explode.  
Like all the cells in my body would explode in pain and selfpitty.  
They probably won't though and I'd still be stuck here trying to fufill my promise.  
Light crawls through the trees in the distance.

_Great another clearing, lets hope you don't almost die again Willow_.

_Because I doubt Ashton will save you again. _I think to myself.

We all reach the clearing.  
There is no meadow, no water, just grass and on the far end of the clearing a huge oak.  
Something red is on it and I squint my eyes to get a better look at it.

11 is inscripted on the tree in blood red paint.

_Who says its paint..._ I shiver, and quickly push that thought away.

"Guess this must be what we were searching." Erix says.

"You ready to find out what it is?" He continues looking back at Daemyn.

"Hell yeah." Daemyn says giving him a crooked smile that makes my heart flutter even with all the emotions trapped inside of it.

They begin walking towards it and the rest, me included, follows them in silence.  
I see Thane grabbing Ashtons hand and pulling her closer.  
He's right anything could be in that tree.

I take a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves.

Erix and Daemyn reach the tree and examine it.

The rest stops in half a circle a few meters away from them, uncertain of what could happen next.

"Well let's get this over with." Erix says and places his hand on the tree and so does Daemyn.

There's a sound of wood moaning but I can't see since Erix and Daemyn are blocking my view from where they are standing.

Erix bends forward his upper body disappearing in the tree.

Red smoke comes out of the opening in the tree and flies towards me carried by the wind.  
My heartbeat increases and a sharp pain hits my chest.  
I gasp and blink my vision red from the smoke, I try to focus but my head starts spinning and I can't orientate myself in this red world.  
I stumble and gasp my chest burning with pain each time I inhale.

"Fuck!" Erix voice growls.

"I felt it splash in my face. Dude is there blood in my hair!"

"What?" Daemyn voice asks confused.

"Is-there-blood-in-my-fuck-ing-hair?" Erix says angry.

"How the hell should I know, can't see shit with all this smoke."Daemyn voice replies.

"And by the way Erix, I know you said 'first chance you'd get' but did you have to do it now." Daemyn's voice says teasing.

And I search the sounds but I can't find anything but red.

"You thought it." Erix points out.

"Yeah well you did it." Daemyn's voice replies.

Then the smoke clears, like a red veil its pulled away by the wind.  
I find Ashton looking at me with big eyes her hands in front of her mouth.  
But then Thane's hand grabs hers and she's pulled away, and they both start running.

I cough and stumble.

"Now, now, you don't have to go, I actually like you. Didn't mean to scare you or anything." Erix voice says.

I look back and find him and Daemyn.

Erix hand is wrapped around Helene's wrist, who seems frightened.

Little drops of blood are on his face and hair, and he's holding a small axe in his other hand and a chainsaw is carried on his back.  
Deamyn is holding a sword and I blink my head still spinning.

_Where did they get weapons? The oak? Why is everyone running? My head..._

The spinning in my head gets worse and I fall backwards on the ground and moan at the pain in my chest.  
My eyes burn and tears start dripping out of them.

"M-my chest c-can't..." My voice comes out a hoarse whisper.

I look down at my chest and blink at what I see.  
I gasp, my fingers clawing in the grass wanting to back away from what I see.  
A small axe like the one Erix was holding is stuck in my chest.  
My heart starts pounding wildly in my chest and I gasp wich makes me cough, making my mouth taste like metal.  
Erix voice chuckles and I hear footsteps close in.

I find him, through my watery eyes, still holding Helene's hand.  
She's looking away, not daring to even glance at me.

_Don't you even have the respect to look at me when I'm dying._

Erix kneels down.

"P-please" I cough out. Though I'm uncertain what I'm pleading for.

"Sorry, I'll be needing this." He says calmly, and then his fingers grip the axe and pull it out.

There is a scream, and I realise its my own as my body spasms in pain.  
I cough and struggle at the blinding pain.  
Then he gets up again.

"Well lets bounce, I think the games have finally started." He says as if I'm not lying here dying.

And then he turns on his heels and walks away holding Helene's hand.

Daemyn walks to me and I would smile if my body was strong enough for it.

_You, you care for me atleast enough to not let me die alone._

But he doesn't look at me, and I want to beg him, but all that comes out is a whimper.  
He steps over my body as if I'm nothing but a rock in his way and jogs over to Erix side who is asking Helene if she is certain there isn't blood in his hair.

I whimper again, and cough on blood.

My chest hurts so much, not even the wound but deeper in side.

_Can hearts really explode?_

My fingers tremble and a soft summer like breeze caresses my skin as if its just a beautiful summer day and I'm lying in the grass, looking at the clouds.  
But thats not true, I know that.  
I'm dying alone, and no one cares for me, no not care, I don't even need caring.

Even if one of them had stayed laughing it would have been better.  
Its that no one even cares enough to do that, what bothers me.  
The fact that my death means nothing, the fact I'm just a stone to step over wich makes my heart feel like it will explode any minute now.

A sound pulls me out of my selfpitty.

I look at the tree in which Erix and Daemyn found their weapons.  
A slender figure carefully crawls from behind the tree.

_I blink at my tears trying to clear them to see._

The figure gets clearer as she walks over to me slowly.  
Until the image makes sense, its a girl, I recognize her from training though I never asked or bothered to remember her name.  
Always to herself, not really speaking, I disliked her for that, and now I feel bad for it.  
After all she was right not to trust any of them.  
Why speak to people who will murder you first chance they get.

She stops at my side looking into my eyes.  
I want her to stay, just until I die, but it hurts to talk so with all my strenght I bring my right hand up, reaching for her.

_Don't leave, don't leave me please, don't leave me._ I think to her.

But I can't make out her expression through my teary eyes and she shakes her head her black hair waving in the motion.

_Don't leave me, please don't leave me._ The mantra in my head continues as if my thoughts could make her stay.

But she turns on her heels.

"No..." I whisper.

Then she's running in the same direction Thane and Ashton had gone of to.

_Why did I even expect her to stay with me, I never even talked to her, never cared for her._

_I deserve that she's ignoring me, even if its all I wan't right now._

More tears fill my eyes this time and I cough again, and whimper.

_Pathetic, so pathetic, this is how you die, this is your end, and its pathetic, and no one cares._ My mind tells me.

And I want to be brave, and strong, but I'm to weak, to hurt and I can't help the tears, the bloody spit and moans coming out.  
My head falls to the side and the sun seems so bright, even the girl in the green dress seems to collor golden in its light.  
Just like me in my green dress, and for a moment I think its me as a child.  
But her skin is pale and her hair is red.

I smile at her.

She smiles back at me sweetly.

_So sweet for a monster._ I think, because I know this is the girl Erix mentioned.

Erix the boy who killed me like I was a mosqouto that was bugging him.

Then she steps towards me.

"Your pathetic you know." Her inocent voice says to me.

_I know._

She kneels down at me grinning.

"The camera's aren't even filming this right now." She gigles and my heart hurts even worse.

"They don't even care enough to film your final moments." She brings her face closer to mine.

"You think Maple cares?"

I gasp in pain at her words.

_Maple, my Maple, my boy, the only one who loves me, its good if its true that their not filming me at least he won't have to watch me die._

"You think he thought you ever stood a chance." The young girl sighs.

"Dumb little girl, he said his final goodbye to you the day you left." She grins again, though this time its frightening.

My fingers claw in the grass again trying to get away but my body is not strong enough to get away from the small monster.

"He found a new girl, don't worry she'll dry his tears when you die, she'll make sure he'll forget all about you."

And I can't stand it anymore, it explodes the pain in my heart explodes and ripples through my body.

I scream at the blue cheerful sky and cough up more blood.

It hurts so bad so bad and Maples name runs through my head like a mantra.

_Maple, Maple, Maple, Maple..._

He would never do that right, find someone else so soon.

No he'd be devestated, I tell myself without quiestioning, because ifI would I might find that I'm wrong and thats the last thing I want right now.

To know that he doesn't truly care about me.

I look around but can't find the girl any more.

I guess she has left me, after all I'm probably about as good as dead by now.

_No one, no one, no one, no one... _My mind sings.

This is it, no one will hold my hand as I pass, no one will sit next to me holding their tears, as they try to be brave for my sake.

I'm not even certain if my family back home will cry for me.

No they will, but it will also mean a mouth less to feed, cruel but truthful.

The sun shines golden, so bright in my teary eyes.

And everything around me seems to glow.

Even with all the pain and sorrow I can appreciate the beauty of it all.

It makes me wish Maple was here to see it, even though its probably just the lack of blood left in my body that makes everything shine like this.

And my thoughts run back to him, back to Maple, back to the boy who is my world.

_I'm sorry Maple, I broke my promise, please forgive me... _I think to him.

_I love you Maple, sorry I never told you that I did._

_Guess I was scared. Silly huh, I plan on winning the games to come back to you but I'm scared to tell you how I feel._

I know he can't hear my thoughts but at least I can pretend he can.

Pretend he is here with me, I'm used to playing pretend by now.

I cough again the taste of metal filling my mouth.

I tremble, at least I think I tremble, everything is hazy and I'm not quite sure of anything right now.

_Yes you are, at least of one thing. Of Maple, you love him._

The sun seems so gold, covering the world in her golden glow.

Just like my dress glowing golden in her light.

I close my eyes and imagine Maple here with me, holding my hand.

I don't care if its fake, if its pathetic, because even if it isn't real at least its something more then this emptiness.

I wait for the cannon to anounce my death, for it to tell me that its over now, that I no longer have to fight.

Before I realise I'll never hear it, that I will be gone before it sounds, I disolve in the sun's golden rays.

**I'd like to thank every one who has reviewed it really helps me keep up the enthousiasm to write.**

**I felt kind of bad for killing Willow, so I hope her chapter gives her the credit she deserves.**

**I also hope I didn't stray to much from the character discription.**

**Remember the easter egg? Well there's another hint for you all in here.**

**Stravvberry**

**PS**  
**The easter egg is like a hint to another tv show, movie etc.**

**PPS**  
**there are two in this fanfiction, and as the story progresses we will put in more hints.**  
**When you find atleast one, you will get the alternative ending (since we will both write an ending but will only post one).**


	7. Chapter 7 Leaving the dead

__

_Female district 9  
Shatter  
Partner: Alive  
_

* * *

**Leaving the dead**

I hate him, I despise him, I loathe him, I wish him to the pits of hell and when demons are eating him alive I will ask them if they want some ketchup with it.

He is the most arrogant, sarcastic, self loving, egocentric person I know.  
I hate his deep brown eyes, that seem to find mine where ever I go, and his tousled black hair. Let alone those ridiculous leather pants. And don't even get me started on that annoying, irritating lopsided smile of his. You can't even call it a smile, it's just a twitch of the corner of his lips. Letting the world know how amusing this all is for him. And by the amount of times he does it it seems the whole games are one big laugh for him. As if he's above it all. To good to even participate.

I hate everything about him. But the thing I hate most is that I can't seem to take my eyes of of him. That I'm looking at him and not even noticing it. That I want to step closer to hear what Erix and him are talking about. That my mind keeps coming back to him; To our conversation as brief as it was, the small gifts he throws, the glances he gives and yes even those smiles that seem to be directed at me. As if he wants me to see them. To let me know that he's enjoying whatever is happening at that moment.

Damn him. For if he wasn't the obnoxious person he was I would've had no problem taking his gifts.  
I mean if it helped me keep myself alive then who was I to deny them, right?

So there for I know it's stupid, I even knew it when I had taken my first steps away from it. It was stupid and stubborn and yet I couldn't make my self turn around and grab it. I just didn't want him to have the satisfaction. Not that he knew that I hadn't taken it, not that he probably cared.  
Still taking the cereal bar would be as if I couldn't do this on my own, as if I needed his help, which I didn't.

I mean sure I had taken his water but that had only been because I had really needed it. And I didn't really need that stupid cereal bar, though my stomach was telling me otherwise.

He had surprised me by suddenly standing under my tree. And trust me not allot of people get to surprise me. I was sure I had seen him go after Erix. When I had seen the silver balloon descent a little distance from where the carreerpack was standing I had been confused. Had something happened? Was someone hurt? Why would they get something now? I had been even more surprised when Erix had gone after it, I mean why would he care what was in it? He didn't seem to care about anything.

When Erix disappeared in the bushes after the balloon, Daemyn had made no movement to go after him. But then after a second he just turned around and went. I had thought nothing more of it then that it was weird they cared enough for the content of the balloon to fetch it.

I had waited in my tree from a distance afraid that somehow they knew I was here and would suddenly turn around and get me. I had put enough distance between us that if that happened I would have enough time to get away. Though this also meant that I couldn't hear what they were saying which left me pretty anxious half of the time. I mean they could be testing me and planning a tactic on how to get to me. Maybe the balloon was even a trick and Daemyn en Erix were about to close in on me while the others waited and would come as soon as they had surrounded me.

A scrunching sound of a twig shook me out of my thoughts and when I turned around I saw Daemyn at the bottom of my tree. All my thoughts about they tricking me had come rushing over me all at ones. And for a moment I had frozen in place. Hoping that he wouldn't notice me even though he had been looking at me straight.

'So you're the one who has been stalking us' He had said while leaning against my tree.

I had carefully looked around to see if there was any sign of the others. But when I looked back I still saw them waiting around for Erix.  
They didn't seem to plan to surround me, so I relaxed a bit. I mean Daemyn I could probably handle, and with handle I mean out run.

'I'm not stalking you!' I snapped 'just... following' I knew this was pretty much the same thing but stalking just sounded wrong.

I saw the crooked grin he used in every occasion that he found slightly amusing.

'Okay, so why are you `following` us?' He asked while looking up at me.

I pulled on my dark red shirt suddenly feeling self conscious. I didn't want to answer him, in fact I didn't even want to speak with him. Instead I quickly glanced back to where the others were standing, wanting to know if they were still there but also not feeling comfortable taking my focus of Daemyn.

'Is it because of me?' He asks filling the silence that had spread cause of my lack of answering. He looked me straight in the eyes as if daring me to say otherwise.

I snorted and raised my eyebrows up in mock 'Cocky much?' I said

He smiled again 'VERY much' He pushed himself of of my tree and turned so he was facing me. He just stood there looking at me, his eyes boring holes into me. Looking me up and down and then straight back into my eyes, I couldn't stand it, it was like he was undressing me with his eyes. I felt the furry coming up in me, slowly building as it was going to explode. I pulled at the edges of my shirt again to let my hands have something to do. Flicked my long black hair back in one angry twist and jumped out of my tree. Making a flip in the air with my body, feeling the need to impress him. I landed in a crouch both hands flat on the ground. I walked over to him leaving only a few inches of space between us.

'I'm just trying to figure out these stupid numbers!' I hissed in his face 'And as you and your but hole friend have the same one and are heading towards it. It's the best way to figure them out.' I took a step back suddenly feeling way to close to him. I edged to my tree ready to climb in it if he was going to attack me. I felt to vulnerable on the ground being at the same level as him but I needed to turn my back to him if I was going to climb in the tree again and that was something I was no way going to do. I gathered all my hair in my right hand and pulled it over my right shoulder in a attempt to hide my number. Not feeling comfortable for him having that knowledge of me.

He just continued to stand there with his usual crooked grin, letting me know how amusing this really was to him. Though there's something more now. His eyes seem to glimmer with excitement in a way I have never seen eyes glimmer. As if he has finally found something interesting.  
This only makes me feel more uncomfortable, even more so cause my shirt has crept up to my belly during my fall exposing my legging as if they are pants, I tug at the edges of my shirt covering myself and pull my brown vest around me, regretting my choice of garment.

'Nice legs' He said

'Nice pants' I spit back while glaring at him. Not even looking at his ridiculous black leather pants.

He actually chuckled while turning around and walking away.

'Have fun stalking me' He said turning his head around and giving me one of his famous and tiring grins.

'I'm not freaking stalking you' I grumbled while I carefully climbed back in my tree desperately wanting the safety of it but not taking my complete focus of of Daemyn. I heard his footsteps stop before a loud thump sounded above my head.  
I quickly reached out to catch the thing he threw, planning to throw it straight back at his big head. But when I felt the shape I stopped in mid throw and noticed that it was a water bottle.

'Now don't say I don't take care of my stalkers' he said while walking backwards disappearing through the trees.

My first instinct had been to leave the bottle to fucking rot (okay I know bottles can't rot but still you get what I mean) but I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of seeing me dying from dehydration, I convinced myself this was a really good reason to keep it.

So now I have a water bottle. Hurray.  
I've put it in the sleeping bag with the rest of my collectings.  
Where I can nearly feel it burning a hole. Every time I take a swig I feel a shiver down my spine and I swear it tastes bitter.  
Like God is punishing me for taking the devils help.

Not that I believe in a God.

I'm careful to watch where I step as I continue following the pack. Cause even though Daemyn knows that I'm following he hasn't seemed to have told anyone. Or maybe he has and they are just waiting for the perfect moment to strike.  
Either way I'm keeping my distance and being as quiet as possible about it.

The pack walks slowly as Willow has just been attacked by hell bunnies. The whole scene had been horrifying to watch. Willow had skipped over the little stream to go pet the bunnies like the stupid, naive little girl she is. Off course the bunnies weren't as nice and fluffy as they seemed at first sight. So she got attacked, I mean it's her own stupid fault in the first place. Hunger Games lesson nr. 1 Nothing is what it seems, I mean come on everyone knows that. Especially when there are freaking bunnies in the hunger games!

Her naivity wasn't even the most disturbing thing that happened. Nor was the smiles on both of Erix and Daemyn's faces.  
It's Ashton who had saved her and helped her. She even bandaged her freaking knee for her! I mean ASHTON of all people. I didn't trust her one bit. Why this sudden behavior? Was it as she said it was? She just didn't want to lose her sponsorship? Or was it something else? I was going to keep my eye on her anyway, not that I have much of a choice in that.

We travel a while longer in which Daemyn keeps glancing at me, no matter where I go. Whether I'm walking behind or next to them he always seems to find me. He doesn't smile when he sees me, he just... looks. It's really starting to get on my nerves and I keep increasing the distance between me and the pack. Feeling way to vulnerable that one of them knows I'm following. No one else has shown any sign of knowing of me though, so I think only he does. But still you can never be to careful.

The pack stops after an hour or so and I quickly make my retreat back in a tree. It's a large oak tree with long thick branches covered with leaves to hide me by. My first thought is that they are just going to rest but no one is making thereselves comfortable.  
One of the branches stretches out over the clearing. And as curiosity takes over I slip my sleeping back over one shoulders strapping it to my back. I begin to crawl over the branch but when I feel that I begin to wobble I decide I'm as close to a tree lover anyway and decide to hug it, sliding myself over the branch on my belly. I'm not really in a good defensive position this way but am to curious to stop so I slide further till the branch begins to bend and stop, leaving me hanging over the clearing a bit. I'm closer to the pack now then I've been in a while and I could probably pick up some words if it wasn't for the huge tree in the middle of the clearing that swallows up all of my focus.

It's this giant oak tree like mine but it's got this really big 11 on it written in a bright red. I guess it's supposed to look like blood but I think it's to bright for that, since I'm not completely sure I don't focus on the color for much longer.

Daemyn and Erix are making their way over to the tree and I see them sharing a quick glance with each other. Daemyn turns his head slightly and looks at me straight. How does he do that? I ask myself for the thousand time. I briefly think that maybe the water bottle has got some kind of sensor in it and that's how Daemyn finds me time and time again but that thought is brutally interrupted by a trembling.

I look down and see that both Daemyn and Erix have their right hand on the oak tree. Which is causing the trembling that interrupted my thoughts.  
I deep line appears in the tree and thick red smokes starts pouring out of the cut. Bright red smoke starts to blur my vision and for a moment I think hell has come on earth. But when a wind sets in I look down and make out both Daemyn and Erix's posture. They've both got their hand down the big hole that has appeared in the tree and red smokes still comes out of it. The smoke is thicker down there cause the wind is blocked by all the trees, but I can see everything almost clearly 's hand comes out first and I see something shimmer inside his hand.

I knew it!  
This is what they have been waiting for all along! They are going to attack me and they know where I am cause of that freaking sensor. I'm so stupid how could I let my guard down like this? But I'm not going down without a fight, or flight.

I twist myself out of the handle of the sleepingbag and hang it on a branch above my head. I get up in one swift movement take one big step and take a leap. My hands catch another branch of a different tree and I move myself to the base of it as I can feel the branch bending.  
Once I'm at a more stronger part of the branch I swing myself up so I land on my feet of the branch I had been holding and start making my way over to the core of the tree. Once I'm at the beginning I embrace the tough bark and let in scratch my cheek as I try to control my breath.

I replay my actions and come up with the conclusion that I have nearly made no sound at all.  
When I look down Daemyn is whipping his hand back and for trying to erase the smoke while he and Erix are getting more weapons out of the tree  
I see Deamyn packing a crossbow onto his back and putting on a belt which contains a bright shimmering silver sword.  
Erix has got this chainsaw hanging from his back and a small axe is gripped in his right hand.

And for a moment I'm confused.

Why? What? I swear that they...

I look up further into the clearing where red smoke still covers everything.  
And see a patch of darker, deeper red but ignore it.

A wind sets in and the smoke starts to fade and the scene becomes more clear.  
Thane grabs Ashton's hand and starts running into the woods, I quickly note in which direction.  
Before Erix's voice finally registrates with me since I've been blocking all sound out.

'"Now, now, you don't have to go, I actually like you. Didn't mean to scare you or anything." He says in a sweet voice as he grabs Helene's wrist as she to was trying to get away. She gives a small struggle but cease it as she notices the small axe in Erix's hand.

Daemyn is playing with his sword testing it's balance in his hands and I freeze in place afraid he will strike.  
Because my eyes have been avoiding the place with the deep red patch and the person next to it.  
As if my mind refuses to acknowledge what has happened. As if this is still about me, that they are still going to attack me.  
Which they still might.

"M-my chest c-can't..." The person who I've been trying to bland out barely whispers.

I'm still trying to ignore. Telling myself I didn't hear anything. Focusing on Daemyn and his sword. Telling myself they are still a threat.

But then it gasps followed by a wild wet coughing sound. A chuckle echoes and I can't help but feel glad that it isn't Daemyn who's chuckling.

Helene is being dragged over with Erix as he makes his way to... well okay I'll say it, Willow.

My eyes wander away from Daemyn and find the stupid naive little girl that I had called her only hours ago.  
A pang runs through my chest as I remember my own thought; It's her own stupid fault.  
And I still think it is, I mean what chance did she think she had with the carreers. But still to see her like this.  
No one deserves to die like this.

The whole scene seems even more terrible due to the red smoke that still lingers on surface of the forests ground, leaving everything in a eery red glow.

"P-please" She whimpers through her wet coughs as blood is pouring out of her mouth. I'm not sure what she's pleading for. Cause if it's her life it's sure to late. I've never could've imagined that a human body contained so much blood. As I watch it pouring out of her onto the smoky ground.  
It mingles with the grass and leaves, making a intrigue pattern as it searching for a path into the ground.

"Sorry, I'll be needing this." Erix says clearly not feeling sorry at all as he grips his axe that is stuck in Willows chest and pulls it out.  
A piercing shriek echoes through the clearing and a few birds take flight out of the trees. I dug my nails into the hard bark of my tree and suck in my breath as I turn my gaze away.

I look down and see Daemyn looking up at me. A frown between his eyes as he turns towards Erix. I close my eyes not wanting to deal with what is waiting for me below.

"Well let's bounce, I think the games have finally started." Erix says as I hear footsteps walking away.

I stay in my tree clutching the bark for a few more moments, delaying what I have to face next. When I hear a whooshing noise I quickly open my eyes to see Daemyn standing with his crossbow pointed at me, it's arrow already released. I want to move I really do but I can't seem to move under those watchful eyes. I clench my hands as sweat has made them clammy and feel every muscle in my body tense. My finger nails dig into the bark deeper and all I can think is that there could be worst things to see when your dying then those deep brown eyes.

A loud thump makes it known that the arrow has hit it's destination. And I'm confused why I don't feel anything, I atleast would've thought that it would hurt. That I would feel warm liquid slowly begin to drip and steadily becoming a stream. But I don't.

I look to my left and my nose scrubs against the arrow that I thought would be in my head. I look back to Daemyn to just catch his smile as he turns around and walks after Erix and Helene, giving me a wave as he goes.

Did he miss? Or...?  
I can't waste anymore time. Every moment they are going to get further and further away making it more difficult for me to catch up with them.

So I finally unclench my hands, finger by finger, I pull the arrow out of the tree and look back to my sleeping bag who still hangs on a twig of the other tree. Guess it's not bugged after all, he did find me without the water bottle on me.

I look at the arrow and see that it's made of some kind of steel instead of wood and it's only got two bright red feathers at the end. I weave the arrow through the knitted fabric of my vest and climb back to my sleeping-bag, swinging the bag to my back again and I'm about to jump from the branch straight away when I stop .

If I jump now I'll end up right in front of her. Better not do that. So I climb back to the tree that had a big 11 on it but has now been replaced by a big hole. Once there I slide down my tree not wanting to make any noise by jumping and make my way over to where they went, passing the inevitable.

I walk over slowly, head down. Before I brace myself and make myself look up.  
I'm in front of her now my feet standing in her pool of blood that slowly soaks into my boots.  
Everything in me screams to not look at her to just run away, to not face this. But I have to, I'm in the hunger games after all and need to face it sooner or later.

As I tilt my head up and move my gaze from the ground I look at her wound and see that her flesh is ripped, making a deep cut in her chest. You can see the edges of her ribs as her blood seeps over them in a steady stream. I catch glimpses of what must be some vital organs and then decide I've faced enough. Her first so beautiful dress is nothing more but shredded fabric at the front exposing her breast to the sky above.  
I make myself want to do something but can't seem to know what.

My gaze moves more upward and I'm looking up into her blood shot teary eyes and see that she is pleading with me.  
Pleading to kill her now, pleading to say something, pleading to go or stay i don't know. But she wants something and I wish that I could give it to her.

She whimpers as she gets her right hand of the ground and reaches it towards me. It's all so horrible I want to look away want to hide in my tree till the hovercraft comes and takes her away. But I can't cause I have to go on. Play this stupid game.  
I'm unconsciously shaking my head and catch something at the corner of my eye. When I look closer I see a little girl standing at the edge of the clearing and before I can think about it I'm running away, hearing only a soft whimper of a 'no' as if the wind has send it to me herself.

I take my first steps into the woods dazzled before noticing that I'm not going the right way, I'm going towards Daemyn and Erix. So I turn slightly to my left still running and continue following my number. Not thinking at all about what has just happened. Making a nice big box for it and putting the box somewhere at the back of my mind where I don't have to think about it for a few more hours.  
Just think about yourself.

I'm running at a steady pace, watching where I step to make as less noise as possible but have to stop every so often to have a look if I'm still going in the right direction. It's not that hard though, I mean I'm good at tracking but a blind person could track these two down.

Which makes keeping my mind of of what just happened all the more difficult.

But I can't help but come to a abrupt halt as the bombing sound of the canon echoes through the arena.  
I look behind me, to the place where I've left her to her destiny, a destiny that ended soon at best.

And for the sake of me, I can't help but remember her face, as covered in blood as it was. Staring up at me helplessly, asking for one last thing, and even that I wouldn't give her.

No even that you couldn't give her. I tell myself as I envision her hand raised up at me. It's not your fault! You couldn't have done anything. Who knows what that little girl was. If you had stayed she could've killed you. If you had intervened earlier they would've killed you.

And that was something I was not willing to give her, my life.

So I let it all go. As hard as it is, I have to. For I'm in the hunger games and I'm going to see allot of death if I am planning on surviving, on winning, and that I was.

There's no trembling, no earth shaking, no trees being dragged into the ground. I think to myself as realization hits me.  
But why? I thought that would happen after every death. I mean why else would a part of the arena collapse as soon as Abbot died?  
Hmm strange, but maybe it a part of the arena that's on the complete opposite end of where I am. Maybe that's why I can't feel it.  
That must mean that the arena is bigger the I thought it was.  
Just keep it at the back of your mind and see what happens when the next canon fires.

I take the water bottle out of my sleeping bag, taking one sip and putting it back in again. I can't help but shiver and wonder what Daemyn, Erix and Helene are up to and are going to go now. They will probably go hunting since Daemyn and Erix have got their weapons. Wonder if I'll bump into them. Hope not, better not. Wonder why Erix wanted Helene with them. They didn't seem so close te days before. I shake my head, erasing all thoughts of that little group and their activities out of my head, if only that were true.  
And I begin my tracking again, following the big footsteps as they keep going further and further into the woods.

I slow my pace down as I can hear the distinct sound of voices. I'm not close enough yet so I cant pick up on what they're saying but it seems as if they're having a discussion. I walk slowly towards the voices, feeling quiet surten that the voices match the pair I'm following.  
I'm being as quiet as can be about it as I make my over. Softly placing by lace up boots on the forest ground. Trying to muffle the sound of leaves crunching by slowly putting my weight on them.

'How couldn't we have seen this coming? We're so fucking stupid!' Ashton hisses frustrated while kicking against a tree.  
'Now they've got freaking weapons and we're left with nothing.'

'Ahhw come on Ash don't say that, we got away with some food and water didn't we?' Thane says while trying to calm her down

I hunch down behind a tree keeping some distance between them two but still giving me a good enough angle to see and hear them.

'Come on we need to get going. They could be hunting us down as we speak.' Aston says defeated as she shrugs Thane's hand away that he layed on her shoulder in a attempt to calm her.

'Come on Ash give me a break. You know I'm no runner like you. And besides they'll probably be hunting down other districts before us.' Thane takes a seat on the ground taking a water bottle out of his backpack.

I can see Ashton giving him a agitated look then looking back into the woods before shaking her head and taking a seat next to him.

'Fine but not for long. We need to keep as much distance between us and them.' Thane gives her a peck and Ashton smiles 'God I would do anything for a trident right now, even if it was just a wooden one. I could take those two suckers down no problem.' She balls her hands into fist and Thane takes them in his hands.

'Don't worry we will find weapons one way or the other' Thane says as he puts his water bottle back and lies down putting his head in Ashton's lap.

'Thane! Come on don't lie down. We-' Thane interrupts her pleading with a passionate kiss and I can see that Ashton slowly surrenders herself to it.

This makes me look away and I can feel a blush spreading up my cheeks as I feel uncomfortable spying on them right now.

And I can't help but ask myself if I would do the same. Would I endanger my life for Vain? I mean yeah we're kinda a a relationship and I guess I love him on some kinda way. But would I stay with him, like Ashton, when I thought people were hunting us down?  
Would he stay with me?

I guess I will never know since we always take care of ourselves. I mean even when we go robbing together and we get caught it's always every man for himself. Because we took care of ourselves long before we knew each other.

Still I've thought about it before. The one time I got caught on a joint robbing trip. He had left me and it had bugged me some how.  
Not that I didn't understand, not that I would probably have done the same.

We were doing our weekly round on the meat market. When I had become sloppy.  
Robbing had gone slow that week and I hadn't had a good supper that entire week.  
I knew peacekeepers were always on alert on the marker, cause thieves were not uncommon.  
They considered them enemies of the capitol. Since all meat on the market was considered capitol property.

We already had sneaked a piece tongue and ear under our coats but when I had seen a stall with ribs unattended I just couldn't help myself.  
Vain had shook his head when I had nudged towards the stall, but I had gone on over anyway.  
He had stoof still in the place where I had left him watching as I made my move.

I walked passes the stall as if I was just making my way over to the one next to it.  
Sneaking my arm from under my poncho and keeping the sack open with my other hand so could place the rib in straight away.  
When I had felt a hand pressing down on my shoulder, digging into my collarbone.

I had twisted out of his grip, punching him with the rib as I did and turned around to where I had left Vain to only see his back as he had turned around and was walking away. Looking only back to give a light wave with his hand.

The peacekeeper momentarily stunned was making his way over to me when I had started my sprint towards the exit only to discover that it was blocked by peacekeepers.

I had taken 10 whip lashes for that and still had the scars to proof it.

Vain didn't even turn up for the punishment. Which had been publicly done in front of the justice building.  
Making it known to everyone that thievery was not tolerated, as if we didn't know that already.

Nobody had come to collect or help me afterwards and I had made my way over to the washing lake stumbling and crawling as blood was pouring over my back and my vision was blurry.

I hadn't wanted him to see me like that. So I had put myself in the lake, clothes and all. And had dragged myself back home afterwards.

Vain only said 'Sorry girl, but I told you not to go for it.' Placing a careful kiss on my forehead and making me a cup of tea.

Yes, it had bothered me. Not that he had ran away, cause there was no need for us both to get punished, but that he let me take the beaten alone. Without his presence to sooth me.

It even bothered me more now seeing Thane and Ashton like this. I always thought it was nothing but lust between those two but seeing them like this. Seeing Ashton stopping for Thane though she could and wanted to go on. Made it all the worst. If these monsters could care so much for each other, what were Vain and me doing?

Were we just keeping each other company in a life both of us hated?  
Keeping each other warm cause no one else would?  
Are we so desperate for human affection?  
Is it just more easy to survive if there's both of us?  
Or is there love some where underneath it all?

I don't know. Not only don't I know how he feels about me. I don't even know how I feel about him.

But he's the only person I have. The only one who's hoping for my return. The only one I have to come back to.

So it will have to do. He will have to do.

'Come on Thane, not now. Let's go.' I hear Ashton say a bit out of breath.

I turn around and see her getting up, zipping her training jacket back up.  
Thane groans but get's up as well. Ashton gives him a playful punch in the side then turns around and continues their walk.  
Thane laughs but clasps his side a little to long and as Ashton turns around I can see him giving her a dangerous a look.

Maybe they aren't so lovey dovey as they seem after all.

I continue my pursuit as well. Not sure when I'm going to step in.  
Okay so I'm a little scared of what they're going to do with me. I mean have you seen those muscles?  
I mean why do I have to be paired up with some one with muscles that size?  
It's so unfair.

We keep a steady pace going and by early evening I'm sure we've put enough distance between Daemyn, Erix, Helene and us.  
Even so Ashton still seems uncomfortable and wants to keeps walking till it's dark.

I've been keeping a long distance between me and them since my imagination has come of with plenty scenarios of what could happen if I got to close. And in all of those it didn't end well for me. This means that I can't always see them and that I have no idea of what they are talking about, not that that matters much since they hardly ever speak.

I've been eating some berries and leaves along the way. But my knowledge of them isn't that great so half of what I encounter I don't dare to eat. Maybe with the arrow I could go hunting, though I'm not that good at it. I know I come from the hunting district but I've been surviving on thievery my entire life. So there was no need or time to learn my districts specialty. Guess I will have to find another way to gather food.

It's nearly completely dark and I'm expecting Ashton to say that they will camp some where here for the night when I hear a soft whimper.  
I stop dead in my tracks as to listen to it more closely. I try to follow the sound but it's so soft that it seems to be every where at the same time.  
I decide to climb a tree so that maybe I can see the source of the whimpering from up there.

I chose one of the long elm trees to climb in since it seems long enough to show a pretty wide view of the forest.  
The tree sways under my weight and I know I shouldn't be up here to long.  
I look around me to try and locate the sound again but it seems it has stopped for a moment. I'm about to slide down and give up, not wanting to waste to much time afraid I'll loose Ashton and Thane, when I hear it again.

I abruptly look to my right as I'm sure it's coming from there and sure enough I see it.  
It's a little girl with wavy brown hair, that at this moment is hanging in a wild tangle in front of her face. She sits in some bushes leaning against a tree, knees hunched up and head cradled in her hands as she softly cries.

My heart seems to rise up in my throat for a minute and I'm not really aware that I'm already making my way towards her.  
I'm in full sight of her but I don't think she's even aware of my presence.  
Seeing her up close I can see that her clothes are spotted with blood. My body immediately goes into a defensive pose as I can draw only one conclusion; she's not hurt so the blood must be some one elses. I've seen this before little girls that seem al nice and innocent and then turn out to be killing machines.

I silently retreat into the coverage of the trees as I make my way back to Ashton and Thane again.  
We travel a little while longer before they finally find a spot Ashton approves safe enough. Thane goes to sleep first as Ashton stays on guard duty.

I silently make my way in some bushes and get my sleeping bag out, zipping it open so I can get out more quickly. I put the rest of the stuff into the bag so I can grab it and run if I need to in the night. I worm the arrow out of my vest and hold it tightly in my right hand.

It has taken only one night to figure out the best way to spend a night here. Sure zipping the sleeping bag open makes it a little colder but I don't want to worm myself out of it as some one is coming at me with a knife. It just seems more practical this way. I've tried sleeping in a tree but the amount of times I've fallen out of it at night doesn't way to the safety of it.

I've just settled myself in for the night when a bright light lightens the forest. Showing the creatures of the night; a owl up in a tree, bats flying over the woods, rodents creeping past my head.

The familiar sound of the anthem starts and a chill runs through my body as I already know who they are going to show.  
And there she is with her seductive smile and shimmering green eyes inviting anybody in who wants to.  
But I can't help but see the girl I left behind; eyes shot red, mouth open in a final plea, hand raised asking for my help.

I hug myself as I turn my gaze away from the sky, feeling a spider crawling over my face.  
I left her is al I can think, just like my parents left me, just like Vain left me, just like Daemyn. I frown as I realise what I just thought, flicking the spider away.

Guess I'm all alone.

* * *

_Day 2:_

_2nd  
__Willow Hanoway_  
_Female district 7_  
_Deceased_

_21 to go._

* * *

**I'm so sorry it took so long!  
I've just been really busy and in my spare time I was reading Mockingjay... what a disappointment that was :/**

Anyway I really fell for this character and think this is my best chap so far.  
I would love to know what you guys think :)  
Also what are your thoughts on Mockinjay? Did you think the end was to hasty as well?

Let me know

**As always thank you for reading!**

xxxo Miss-Almond

OH! don't forget the easter egg there're some hints in this chap as well ;)


	8. Chapter 8 Growing Pains

Female district 6  
Emerald White  
Partner: Alive

* * *

**Growing Pains**

I don't think there is any one out there more unlucky then me. Right now as my knees buckle under exhaustion and dehydration I realise that it isn't just a thought but simply a fact. No one, even in these games could possibly be as unlucky as me. My stomach hurts so much and my cheeks are sticky with tears that have long stopped rolling down. I'm too dehydrated I guess because I am still crying tears or no tears.

I fall over catching my upper body by putting my hands in the dirt, and let my head hang between my arms. My muscles tremble under the little weight of my twelve year old body. They burn with exhaustion, pain and dehydration. This body is too tired, to exhausted to go on and I know I have to find shelter, but honestly I can't go on. So I just crawl up to the nearest bushes and lean my back against a tree there. Pulling my legs up to my chest and circling my arms around them I continue my weeping.

My white dress has stains of blood on it, from my period and scraped knees, even now its visible in the growing darkness of the night. It smells you know, well I didn't until now. It smells and it hurts like hell. It hurts even more then my dry throat, which has been bugging me more and more every second.

Who's stupid idea was it to put me in a white dress anyway. Then again my stylists are probably not as stupid as my own body. Deciding to 'become a women' day two into the games. I already wondered why I had been having pain in my belly but I had decided it was just stress. It wasn't though. And now I was having my first period in the middle of the games. I mean what do they expect me to do, shove a twig in it or something? They should give girls some lady materials before going in. Hell maybe they'd do that after this. Not that it would do me any good, I'll be dead by then.

I had walked for so long today, as well as the day before, continuing in a somewhat straight line, or perhaps in circles, the whole forest seemed the same to me and after two days of walking I still hadn't found a stream or even a small puddle. I don't care, by now. Even if I don't have any purifiers, even if the water was most likely toxic. I would drink it all if I got the chance the pain in my throat, that scraping, burning sensation that agonizes me with every sob and breath I take, is worse then drinking poisoned water.

And apart from that I feel like some put a belt around my uterus and is yanking it tighter and tighter. Occasionally it lessens and then just when I think I might be okay it becomes terrible again. I never thought cramps were this painful. What evolutional use had it to feel this much pain, why did it have to hurt couldn't it just be like... nerveless.

My poor parents, I wish I could be stronger for them. That they didn't have to see me suffer like this. The loss of my older sister had been hard on them, and now they had to watch their last child go through the games like this. The thought of them makes me sob again.

Suddenly, I hear a sound. Dry leaves cracking under weight. It closes in, footsteps slow and careful. However I wonder how careful this person is sneaking up on me right in front of me. My heart speeds up but my body doesn't react any other way. My arms still circle around my legs, sobs still pass my trembling lips. I don't want to die, to be killed and perhaps tortured but my body doesn't respond. I guess I can't even die with dignity. It makes me sob even more, but then what ever it was moves away again. Maybe it wasn't ever there, maybe I'm going crazy, maybe dehydration is taking its toll on me and I'm starting to hallucinate.

So I just sit there sobbing, crying, and being melodramatic until darkness takes me. Deep dark sleep pulling me in.

Morning light pokes happily through my lashes and birds chirp their songs. I blink against the bright light. And find myself reasonably surprised and ever so slightly disappointed that I am in fact still alive.

I cough at my dry throat and am punished for it with a sharp pain.

_Right no coughing_. I think to myself, remembering how dehydrated I am.

So I force down the urge to cough and force up my body. I look around at the forest around me. The blue morning light creating a strange sense of colour with the brown and green forest. Or maybe I'm just hallucinating.

I sigh and pull myself up to my feet and lean against the tree behind me. I have to go on. I can't stop. And trust me I really do want to stop. To just lie there and wait for the end to come. But I can't. Life is precious, and even if I know I won't win the games, I can't give up so easily, at least I should walk no matter how agonising it is for my muscles right now. So I start walking and and continue on.

I no longer walk though, its more like a stumble now. My head is dizzy, my mind fuzzy. Cramps in my belly are torturing me. But I continue.

_Keep pushing Em. Keep going._

I stumble on, sometimes tripping over a fallen branch or simply one of my feet. I've always been clumsy but right now I'd be laughing at how ridiculously clumsy I am. I won't though I know it will hurt to much for my dry throat.

I want to rest, but I know that by the time I'll get up I will only be weaker. Without food and water, its more a fight against time. I won't give up, I'll keep walking until my legs give in. And when they do I'll go on crawling. Because some where, in this arena should at least be a puddle. I don't even care about the fact that I don't have purifiers, by now my body craves water more then life itself. So if the water is poisonous well then so be it.

I might only be twelve, and far not strong enough to win these games. But I will never, ever give up. I am blessed with my heartbeat, with life. Even if its a shitty one right now, its still life. And if you think about it your heart always beats for you, never gives up. Continues as long as it can hold on, so I should do the same. Force one foot after another and keep going until I find water.

So I walk on, hungry, thirsty and bleeding, fighting the urge to sit down and relax. I try to pull my mind away from the thought of water and think of my sister, and imagine her here with me. Walking next to me, protecting me.

She was so pretty her golden brown hair, her olive skin. We looked allot alike, apart from me being so slender and curve less that is. But perhaps when I grow up I'll get those curves, well if I grow up is a better way to put it. I'm not quite sure how I'm suppose to live for another day, let alone survive this and grow up.

I remember the last time I saw her so clearly. She dropped me off at school, it was a warm day and and hair brown hair seemed almost golden in the bright sunlight, just like my hair.

"Come on now Em, I really have to go to work now. Don't want me to get fired now do you." She said bending forward as she placed a kiss on my forehead.

I smelled her, she always smelled so sweet and warm. Like cookies or cake, I'm not sure why but she did, or maybe that's just how I remember her. I didn't want her to go, I didn't want to go to school, I wanted her to take me to the old laser factory. Sit on top of the abandoned building, look over our district and look at the clouds.

"Go to school now, be a good girl okay, dad will pick you up, I'll be home for dinner okay?"

I wanted to continue my whining but someone called my name. I looked back and saw Eric and Jules waving at me, the twins were my best friends and the last thing I wanted was for them to see me whining at my sister like a little girl. So I pulled away from my sister not wanting them to see she kissed me on my head. And I turned from her and ran up to them without saying goodbye. That afternoon she died in a lab explosion.

I'll never forget that, what I had done. But I don't cry over it either, not too much anyway. I just make sure I don't take anything or anyone for granted. Not even my own heartbeat.

I hadn't made peace with it so easy at first though, if it wasn't for Eric and Jules I don't know what I would've done. Especially Jules, how many times hadn't the boy skipped school in order to hang out with me on top of the abandoned factory. Joking around, keeping me distracted when I needed it and holding me and talking about it when I needed that.

"Hey Em you think things will still be like this when we grow up." Jules had said one day.

We were lying on the roof of the abandoned building and had been silently watching the clouds. The day was ending and if it wasn't for the clouds gathering up, the sky would probably be orange by now. I let my head fall to the side and looked at him. His blue eyes staring at the sky above him, his pale skin looking greyish in the lack of sunlight. His wavy brown hair lying on the ground around his head. Eric had gone off to get some water. Though I doubted that if it would start raining he'd still come back.

"I dunno, perhaps."

He rolled over to his side his face looking a bit hurt.

"What do you mean perhaps?"

I shrugged.

"Well if one of us gets reaped I doubt it will ever be the same."

He sighed and rolled to his back again.

"Jee don't be so negative."

I frowned at that.

"Its not negative, its just... a possibility."

He let his head roll to the left, and looked at me.

"You shouldn't worry about that."

"Why Jules it could happen, I'm not saying it will, its ju-" He cuts me off before I can finish my sentence.

"It won't."

I raised an eyebrow at him.

"And how do you think it won't?"

"Because." He simply said, and turned to the sky again.

A drop of rain fell on my cheek, and I wiped it of.

"Because what?"

I saw him grin and my heart fluttered at how his face turned. He's quite handsome, not gorgeous just quite handsome. He wasn't always like that though but he's changing growing older so slow I hardly noticed he was actually turning into quite a handsome guy.

"Because of this. You, me... and my brother of course. Our friendship."

He stopped and I wondered why he wouldn't continue.

"Oh right I forgot tributes don't have friends." I said teasing.

He looked over at me again and another raindrop fell on my skin.

"Not that. Its just that, its like... I dunno..." He blushed and looked up again.

"Meant to be or something, I think." He mumbled.

I felt my cheeks turn warm even though I wasn't sure how he meant what he said. If he meant the three of us, or just me and him. But I couldn't help the blush.

"Jee I didn't know you could be so cheesy Jules." I teased.

And he rolled over again but on top of me this time. Locking my hips between his legs and wrapping his hands around my wrists. It was so sudden it startled me and when I looked at his face to find his handsome grin I blushed again.

"You know that if you tell anyone about that I'd have to kill you right." He said playfully.

It was all playful, but for some reason my throat ran dry.

"Right like you could take me on." I said trying to act normal, but my voice came out lower then normal and I felt my cheeks burning even hotter.

He looked at me for a second with a face, I didn't quite understand the expression he was making or what his thoughts were. But then the sky broke loose and the rain started pouring down heavy. Like it snapped him out of his thoughts his face turned grinning again.

"Oh I could take you on anytime." He said.

And then pulled my left wrist to the other and grabbed both my wrists in his left hand and used the free one to tickle me. We stayed like that for a long time playfully fighting each other in the rain. Probably too long because after that I had the flu for three weeks. I think that is when I fell for him, that day, about six months ago on the roof.

_I also think we decided not to think about water anymore._ My mind complains to myself.

What I wouldn't do for some rain right about now. My thoughts about rain are stopped when my foot catches under a root of a tree and I fall over, yet again. I slowly scramble up to my knees and wipe the dirt of my white dress. Its stained, not that it matters the red stain on the back probably isn't coming out anyway. I lick my dry lips but find my tongue is dry as well. My fists ball and I push back a sob.

_Be strong now, don't waste your energie on those emotions Emerald White. Your stronger then this._ I tell myself in my thoughts.

When I hear a sound behind me.

I turn so quickly my right hand needs to grab at a tree to keep me from falling back.

I find a girl, no older then five or six. Her red curls glow in the sunlight and her face is pale apart from some orange freckles on her nose and cheeks.

"Don't cry. Your a lady now, and crying is for children."

I swallow hard trying to clear my mind.

_What is this, she isn't, clearly isn't, a tribute._

"Oh no." I whisper.

_Oh yes... I'm afraid your hallucinating..._

I push myself up and turn away from the girl in the green dress. I start walking again, or well better put stumbling again through the forest. But then I see the girl again in the distance, I shake my head and just keep going. Hallucinations aren't exactly a good sign when it comes to dehydration, and this clearly was an hallucination, but now that I knew there was no way I could rest.

"Its not polite to ignore people like that you know." The girl says in a sweet voice though annoyance is clearly audible in it.

"It is, if those people are figments of your own imagination." I say without stopping or bothering to look at her.

She giggles.

"Your a funny lady."

"You should hear me when I'm not dying of dehydration. But I bet you don't have any water on you, now do you." I say sarcastically.

I keep my pace and as I pass her she starts skipping in front of me.

"Nope, I'm just here to watch you die." She says turning around to face me.

I chuckle at that morbid thought, but the chuckle comes out dry and scraping and I cough at the feeling in my throat.

"Now that's a nice thought."

She shrugs and turns and starts skipping again.

"You really think you'll find water out there?" She asks not looking back.

I stumble again, and fall over. I let out a sigh and close my eyes trying to find the strength to get up again. When I find it, I push my self up again and continue putting one foot in front of the other.

"Of course there will be water."

She stops and turns to me and chuckles.

"You really think so?" She asks in a way as if I had just said I can talk to the trees.

"Of course." I simply reply.

"Whyyyy-?" She asks dragging out the word.

I smile at my hallucination.

"Because dear child, it is meant to be."

And I remember Jules and his handsome grin, and how the raindrops slid over his face. Oh what I wouldn't give to go back in time and kiss him. Oh what I wouldn't do for that rain. My hallucination pulls me out of my thoughts.

"That's stupid."

I frown at her words trying to understand what she's talking about. My mind is starting to become fuzzy but then I remember our conversation again,and decide to continue it.

"Well what do you think then?"

Her lips turn into a wide grin, revealing her white teeth. And its anything but cute and sweet, I shiver at the sight of the girl that had seemed so innocent only moments ago. I stop and look back at her not quite sure what to do since she isn't real.

"I think you won't find any water, I think you'll die." She says in an angelic voice.

Her calm voice inflicts with her scarry smile, and it makes me even more uncomfortable.

"You know why? Why you will never find any water, why you are destined to die?"

I suddenly notice I'm trembling I swallow down the feeling of fear.

_Get it together Em. Its just your imagination. She can't hurt you._ I tell myself.

So then I just stand there not quite sure what to do, since she is only a figment of my imagination.

"Well do you?" She asks again, tilting her head to the side as she speaks.

"N-no.." Is all that I can manage and even that comes out barely audible.

The girl takes a deep breath and closes her eyes as if she's trying to calm herself and I look around to see if I could make a run for it. But when I look back at her, her eyes are open again and a calm, sweet smile is across her lips.

"Because you were so mean to her that day, she cursed you in her death, because you didn't even say goodbye before she went off and died."

It feel like my heart freezes for a moment and all the air is sucked out of my big sister, she's talking about my big sister. How does this little creep even dare to say anything about her. Then like someone pressed play my heart works again. And apparently so does my body, because I run straight at her my hands ready to grab her by the throat. But my sudden movement makes my head spin and after a three steps I find my face in the dry earth. I look up at her from the ground.

_Wonder if trying to kill figments of your emagination is considered crazy or just hormonal._ I think to myself sarcastically.

She's shaking her head to me her curls bouncing around her heart shaped face.

She walks up to me, ever, ever so slowly. It makes me want to cower backwards. But I don't. I just look her straight in the face almost daring her. God knows why but I do. Step by step she comes over to me. When she reaches me she leans forward and I back away in reaction, my finger clawing in the dirt.

"My name is Rosalyn, and it not nice of you to try and hurt me like that. I get all scary when someone hits me. Your a lucky lady that you stumbled."

I swallow but my throat is to dry to bring anything down. I wonder what will happen, whether she'll kill me or if I will die of thirst, neither one sounds satisfying to me though.

"Well miss White its your lucky day..."

She frowns for a moment like she said it wrong. Then she just shakes her head and shrugs.

"Well lucky, might not quite be the correct word, but its time for me to leave."

_That sounds pretty lucky to me, don't know why that would make me unlucky._ I think to myself.

_Oh right, this means I get to go back to dying of thirst, yeah okay lucky might be a relative word._ I remind myself.

"Bye now." She says and then straightens herself and turns on her heels and walks away from me.

I sigh and close my eyes. My body is so tired and hurt by now, I have to wonder if I can even get up. Just when I am about to try to see if my legs still work I hear twigs cracking behind me. I turn my head and see a someone with brown hair wearing a green trainingsuit walk over to me, at first I think its a guy cause the person is verry buff and tall. But then I recognize her as Ashton, one of the tributes. I gasp in fear, I should have heard her earlier if I wasn't so distracted by Roselyn or what ever she was. I turn over and push myself up and run about three steps before falling over again. A sob escapes my throat at the realization that I don't stand a chance against her. I roll to my back and look at her as she makes her way to me. Behind her is one of the boys Thaine or Caine, I can't remember which of the two boys he is but either way I'm pretty much done for. The only thing I can hope for is that they'll make it quick.

Which is why I'm surprised when Ashton speaks to me.

"What number are you?"

I don't get this, does she mean my district, but if so why doesn't she just ask me what district I'm from. I think she sees the confusion on my face because she sighs and then continues.

"The burn on your neck what number is it?"

I bring my hand up to my neck to feel the burn. I've been so distracted by my thirst I had forgotten all about it. I'm surprised that when my fingers touch the wound it doesn't hurt. Better said it's not even a wound any more but I can clearly feel thick scar tissue on my skin.

Two circles, one on top of the other and it takes my fuzzy mind sometime before it realises it must be an eight. But an eight, why an eight, and what does it matter to the carreer girl what number it is. Will she kill me if its not the number she's looking for, maybe they can only kill people with certain numbers, and that that is the reason why only two people have been killed so far. Though that doesn't make much sense that I think about it I take a better look at the two of them, they don't carry any weapons which is strange. They are both clearly carreers, why wouldn't they have taken weapons from the cornucopia.

_Maybe they like to kill people with their bare hands, or maybe they hid them so you wouldn't run._ I think to myself.

But neither of those thoughts makes sense either. I saw them train with weapons, so why not use them if they have the skill, and I am clearly no threat to either of them so hiding their weapons wouldn't make any sense either. Plus there is also her asking about the number on my neck. I can see the impatience on her face so I decide to answer.

"I- I think... Its a-an eight?" I whisper with my dried out voice.

I hold my breath in anticipation for her reaction but then she grins.

_Its game over Em._

"Of all the people we could've found." She says brightly and then looks back towards the boy named Thaine or Caine.

He smiles slightly though he doesn't really seem that pleased with my number.

"Guess its our lucky day huh babe." He answers her.

She doesn't seem to notice his lack of real enthusiasm though as she turns her attention towards me again.

_This is it, she can kill you, she was looking for a number eight to kill._

She steps towards me and I crawl backwards on the ground. She stops in reaction to my fear.

"Don't worry, I won't hurt you."

_Yeah right._

Then she turns her head to the side and points her index finger to the scar on her neck.

"See I've got an eight as well."

She drops her hand down to her side and looks at me again.

"You see, we have to work together now to find a tree with our number, inside it will be our weapons. Its a little game the game makers made."

I frown not really believing her, but then again why would she lie to me, that wouldn't be much use now would it. Then again what use would weapons be to me, sure I can handle swords and daggers but my skills are nothing compared to hers, if she'd get her weapons she'd kill me in no time.

_Yeah but she could do that right now as well, maybe if you can stay alive for a bit longer you can figure something out._ I think to myself.

"Don't worry, I won't hurt you." She says and then casually walks over to me.

I tremble but I fight the urge to crawl away from her as she reaches me and kneels down.

She looks at me and frowns at my stained dress.

"What happened?" She asks, though there isn't as much worry in her voice as there would be in the voice of any other person who found a twelve year old girl with blood on her dress.

I look down at my body, my dress is all brown from falling over on the ground and bloody from my scraped knees and well, my period. Normally I would have been too embarrassed to answer But right now while I'm dying and hallucinating from dehydration it doesn't really matter.

"I keep falling, I havent had any food or water, and I'm on my period."

She frowns and for a second I can see disgust written in her features but then she composes her self again. Ashton pulls out a bottle of water and I have to fight the urge not to tear it from her hands.

"Here, you look thirsty, you can finish it, we have enough, plus more purifiers so its okay."

I take the bottle from her and twist the top of as fast as I can and bring it to my cracked lips. The water is warm but its clean, not that it matters my thirst is so great I'd be happy with anything right now. I down it so fast I almost choke on it but I continue to drink even through my coughs. Its empty all to quickly but then she hands me another bottle. I try to drink slower this time not wanting to seem greedy but the water is so good and wet its hard to resist the urge to pour it down as fast as I can. Long before the time I want to stop drinking so that something is still left, the bottle is already empty. She just takes the empty bottle from me and puts it back in her backpack.

"I'm Ashton, I'm from district four, and this is Thane..." She nods over to him as if to point him out even though there is no one else.

"He's from district four."

I nod taking all of this in and then introduce myself.

"Emerald, district three."

"Well Emerald from district three, you good to walk?" She asks getting up and offering her hand.

And I'm no idiot, of course I don't trust her, of course I know she'll kill me as soon as she has her weapons. But what else am I supposed to do, I mean even if I can't escape and get a trident shoved in my chest or something. At least it will be quicker then dying of thirst and hunger. Besides If they'd leave me I probably wouldn't last the night, and now at least I would last until she'd find her weapon tree. And even if it would be soon it would still mean that for a little while longer my heart would be beating.

So I take her hand, and let her herlp me up.

"I guess it's your lucky day Emerald."

I'm not sure how to respond to that. Her words so equell to the ones Roselyn had said to me. So I just look up at the sky. Thick grey clouds have packed up infront of the blue sky. I stand there for a moment when a something small and cold drops on my cheek. I bring my hand up to my face and slide my fingers over my cheek to find a cold liquid, rain.

I look back at her and shake my head.

"No, it's just meant to be."

And just then the sky comes crashing down on us. Thick raindrops sliding over my dry skin. It calms me, gives me strength somehow. Ashton doesn't seem pleased with the weather though. She pulls up her shoulders and pulls the hoody of her training jacket over her hair.

"Come on lets get moving times a waisting."

I follow her. I don't have much of a choice really, but as long as the rain falls down I'm okay with following her. Even if it will end up with me having a trident stuck in my back. However the thoughts in my head do bother me. The continueing mantra, making me long ever so deeply. Filling me with a need a craving I never knew existed. But I keep on walking nonetheless. As my mind sings to me.

_Chocolate... Chocolate... Chocolate..._

_

* * *

_**Sorry for the wait. But I just lost my apartment and am back at my dads house. Life just has been so anoying to me lately so I haven't really been able to wrap my head around this chapter. I hope it turned out alright though, please tell me what you think and where you think I might need to improve abit. Hope you liked the chocolate part... I always have trouble putting humor into storry's, and it was suposed to get out a small chuckle so tell me if it did or not. Well I'll leave my author notes at that.**

**Stravvberry**_  
_


	9. Chapter 9 Knock knock

_Female district 11_  
_Rachel Ashwood_  
_Partner: alive  
_

* * *

**Knock Knock**

'I think the arena has been placed under ground. Or to be more precisely under the sea.' I say to my ever silently fellow district partner.  
'And that the roof has cracked open and that the ocean is making it's way into it.' I look up in the sky and stretch my hands up to reinforce my statement.  
'How else can so much water be pouring out of the sky like this' I continue as the rain splatters on my face, dripping down from my cheeks to my neck to seek a patch on my clothes that isn't soaked.

'Well the gamemakers control the weather so they just make it rain like this.' He says matter of factly as he hunches under a tree to find some kind of none existent coverage from the rain.

I sigh as I look back down, my arms hanging loosely at my sides again. Why does he always need to be such a downer? I know the gamemakers make the weather. I mean they make everything here, they control everything here. There's no need how ever to say this out loud. To ruin my moment.

'It's no use trying to escape the rain under that tree you know. And besides your soaked already. We best be going further, maybe we'll find something useful' I say as I walk along, feeling the need to bust his bubble as he has mine.

I hear him groan as he pushes himself from the tree to follow beside me.  
'You know what I would do for a cup of hot cocoa right now' I say to him as I squeeze my hands into the soaked pockets of my black hoodie, feeling the odd shape of the fruit I found this morning.  
My feet making squashing noises as I place them on the ground.

He sighs to let me know how annoying I really am to him. He does this allot though so I've stopped caring and just continue my babble.

'Well at least we've got water, right?' I nudge him with my elbow and he takes a step to the side creating more distance between us.

We've just been standing about half a hour with our mouths hanging open towards the sky, trying to catch as much water as possible.  
We've stumbled across water two times but we didn't dare to drink it. As the gamemakers like to spice some of the waters with poison every so often.

It had taken allot out of me to drag my dry and water needing body from those two ponds. And to be fair I would've totally drank that last pond dry if it wasn't for Mace who had taken my wrist and wrenched me away from it.

So there for I knew he wanted me here. Or well, that at least he didn't want me dead... right now. How ever annoying I was to him he doesn't want me dead. A smile creeps up my face for seeing the positive side of this uncomfortable situation.

Because that it was. I mean we stayed together sure. But only cause our mentors advised us to do so. Because we had more of a chance this way, together.

This didn't mean however that we actually liked each other.

'You know, it would be totally handy if we could catch the rain in something. We could boil it to make sure it's clean and then we would have enough safe water to last us for these entire games. I bet we could catch a whole barrel of water in this weather' I continue my ever lasting conversation with myself

'That's such a good idea! The only thing we need for that is: a barrel and dry wood. Both of them are so totally in our reach right now.'

Okay so maybe he isn't as silent as I make him out to be. Sure he talks, but I mostly ignore him or interrupt him since he has yet something nice or just positive to say. Scratch that just a 'hello nice to meet you I'm Mace' would be okay with me.

'We actually wouldn't even need to boil it. I mean we drank it and we're still fine, aren't we? So just a barrel then.' I give him one of my fake polite smiles to let him know how annoying I find him, before increasing my speed slightly so I'm walking in front of him in stead of next.

'Just ask them to send it now. Maybe they will do me a favor and deliver it on your head. Give me some peace and quiet for a few seconds.' I hear him mumble behind me. In that way people do so you hear them but they can pretend that you weren't suppose to.

I turn around planning to give him the finger but in my twist I fall over my own feet and am sprayed on the ground before I know it.  
Mud smudges my cheek and my hands slide over the wet ground as I try to scramble up.

I hear a high squeezing sound like air being squeezed out of one of those doggie squeakie toys. And when I look up I see Mace is on the ground as well. For a moment I think he is in some kind of pain as he is on his back making these spastic movements while gripping his belly.  
But when I hear the loud 'HAHAHA' from his voice that has finally found his way out of his mouth I know he's okay.

He's laughing at me! I can't believe he is actually laughing. I haven't seen one flicker of positive emotion come from him since I first met him on reaping day. Other then those sarcastic, self pleasing grins. But now he's laughing his head of like there's no tomorrow.  
I stand up angry, annoyed that I got him as a district partner and whipe my hands on my black jeans before stomping away. I'm not really sure where I'm going but I just want to get away from him.

'What? Wait! Is that all? You just need to be angry with me for you to ignore me? To stop talking to me?' I hear him yell after me between breaths since he is still killing himself with laughter, before the squashing sounds of his footsteps makes it known that he follows behind me.  
'Well, if I had known that I would've pissed you of ages ago!'

This only makes me more angry so I start running, trying to loose him I guess. Feeling more raindrops hit my face as I increase my speed.  
I'm only running for a minute or two before I stop dead in tracks and am left wobbling on a edge of what looks like a long drop.  
My balance decides to become unstable on just that moment so I'm left swaying before hands caught my shoulders and pull me back.

Mace lets out a heavy sigh in my ear as he quickly let's go of me and starts pacing around while wiping his forehead on his sleeve.

'Wow' Is all my smart mouth has got to say for me. But I step closer to the edge again as if I'm not quit sure as to what I've seen.

'You crazy' Mace says as his hand closes around my wrist to pull me back again.

'No, wait. I think there's something below there.' I say to him without looking behind. Shaking his hand of as my curiosity takes over and my mind is completely occupied as to what is lying beneath.

There's the small stream I knew I had seen. But a little further from it to the left in the stone wall was a deeper black. It had to be a cave, a place for shelter and safety.

'Mace!' I yell at him a little to loudly as I can't contain my happiness. 'Mace?' I say annoyingly since he hasn't reacted the first time I called him.

'What?' He groans as he has yet again tried to find shelter under a tree.

'Come over here. Look, I think there's a cave over there.' I say waving him over and pointing in the direction I thought I seen it.

'Well, let's go then.' He says as he picks his pace down below.

I walk after him, watching my step as we are going down and my feet have a reputation of liking rocks that stick out a little too much.  
It's only a small walk though a difficult one since the rain has made everything slippery. We manage to get down without too much difficulty though and soon find ourselves standing in front of the cave. A big, silent blackness awaiting us.

'Well, good luck and be careful okay. We don't know what's in there.' I say to Mace as I nudge him forward.

'You say that like I'm going in alone' He answers me back while gripping my wrist and pulling me with him.

I can't help but suppress a sigh. Why does he have to be here with me? Any other guy would've gone macho and would've went in there alone.  
So the poor, little girl wouldn't have to go in there. In the black silent of the unknown, with who knows what lurking in it.

Mace let's go of my hand and I briefly contemplate if I should go back. But it wouldn't be fair and besides I would like to know for sure if it's really safe in here. And the only way to know for sure is to see so yourself.

My mouth runs dry with the wish to break the silence, the need to say something overwhelming me. But knowing that wouldn't be a good idea, I shut up. It's not like I can't keep my mouth still, it's just that I don't like to. So I try to keep my mind occupied with the mission a head of me.  
Tricking it in finding dangerous looking corners, betraying little sounds or shadows lurking behind me.

But when we reach the end of the cave we haven't come across anything. Everything is moist, wet and slippery, like a swetlodge.  
It does a great trick with my sore, burning throat but a not so great one with my hair. I try and flatten my short dark hair down but have the surten feeling that as soon as my hands leave my head it sticks back up again.

I let out a heavy sigh and look at Mace who's standing next to me. He's looking at something above us, his face in complete amazement.  
I look up to and a surprised squeal escapes my mouth.

It's like the roof is leaking, not water but stone. Spikes in all lenghts and sizes drip down from the ceiling. Making it look like the ceiling is melting above us, only some one has pressed pause and their in a never ending moment of complete stillness. Waiting, reaching for the ground below.

'Wow' Is my again profound reaction. 'It's beautifull, scary, sad and and and...' My mouth runs out with words to say. Which describes it better then anything else.

'It's like... I'm afraid to breath or speak for they might fall down' I whisper to my companion.

'Well then this truly must be a sanctuary' Mace says while never dropping his gaze from the wonder above.

Some how his words ignites the anger I had felt before and I don't find it all that fascinating anymore. I walk down the hall of the cave again and walk straight over to the little stream, deciding it's time for lunch.  
I take the fruit out of my pocket and put it in the stream to get all the leaves and crap of it. Cradling it in my hands I breath on it before rubbing it on my sleeve, old habits die hard I guess.

Walking back over to the shelter of the cave I see Mace is already sitting at the edge of it, eating his fruit. Not bothering to clean it before he takes a big mouthful of it.

I sit down on the other side but still in the shelter of the cave so I don't get wet, though I'm already soaked.  
'Is it good?' I break the silence as usual, though I'm still angry at him for before.

He just makes this smacking noise with his mouth which means it most be okay.  
I take a big bite out of mine and discover it's really juicy though a bit bitter, it's food though so I don't complain.  
And besides the juice does my throat good.

'So we're staying here, right? I mean we've got shelter from the rain, the safety of nobody sneaking up on us and a source of water. This is perfect.' I look beside me so I can see if he is agreeing with me since he doesn't always answer in words.

'Well perfect is a stretch since it's still in these games, but yeah. Guess it's as good a place as any.' He flicks the core of the fruit out into the bushes and leans back against the rock wall of the cave, closing his eyes and sighing as if he's in some kind of pain.

I think it's a cue for me to shut up but well... I don't.

'So maybe we should come up with some kind of password or something you know. So if one of us is in the cave and the other is outside, the outsider says it and the insider knows it's okay.' I wait for an awns er but wen I don't get any I just continue 'Or maybe a word is to easy... maybe we should come up with a song or a little rhyme! Yeah that would be perfect. Hmm let's see...' I try and flick some words in my head trying to make them rhyme and after some silence I come up with one.

'Knock knock guess who's there?  
Is it the girl in her underwear?

Of course it's not, you know she's dead.  
Then is it the girl dressed in red?

No it's not, guess again.  
Maybe it's the guy who goes by Cain?

Knock knock no, why don't you ask if it's a friend?  
Cause I'm not sure of his good intents.'

I'm afraid to look him the face now that I've spoken my doubts about him out loud. But gathering my courage I look him straight in the face only to see his eyebrows raised in mock.

'Or just knock knock would be okay I guess' I say trying to erase my words.

'What ever' He grumbles before he leans his head against the wall again and closes his eyes.

I can't help but smile in victory, at least he has agreed to something. I reward him with keeping my mouth shut, hoping this will make him agree with me more often in the future. The silence is killing me though and my mouth itches with words that want to spill. So I try and keep myself occupied with my surroundings.

I watch the rain hit the stones in front of me, the water seeking it's companionship in the little stream, that seems to get bigger and bigger every time I look at it. The trees behind the stream sway in the rain, making it almost hypnotic. The choir of rain hitting different surfaces making this all the more so. This keeps my mind babble out and darker thoughts seem to find place. Like smoke, seeping through my mind, finally finding a quiet spot to linger and manifest. Turning the splashing of the rain on the little creek stones into blood.

'I won't be long. You just stay here and look after your little sister, okay? I'll be back before you know it.' My mother was already turning towards the door, having avoided eye contact with me the whole time. Saying something about picking up some package at some place in town. I knew she was lying, I saw it in the way her eyes skimmed across the room as if looking for something only to not have to look into mine. The way her hands moved up and down her legs, resting on her pockets as if feeling for something. I knew something was up and wrong.

'Where's Dad mom? When is he going to be home?' I asked in my most sweet little voice I knew my mother could never ignore. But instead of giving into me, like she normally does, she just rested her hand on the door knob as she was on her way out. She didn't even turn around or stepped back before saying in a soft voice.

'Daddy won't be coming home today' And that was it, she left. Locking the door behind her, as if a locked door could keep us safe, as if a locked door could keep us in.

Straight away I ran upstairs to my bedroom grabbing my hoodie from my bed as my little sister trailed behind me.

'What are you doing Chel?' She asked as I tried with all my strength to get my creaking stiff bedroom window to open. It was the only window in the house that would open far enough for me to slide through. Well I sort of had made it go open enough since my mom was into curfews.

'Just... checking on something. You stay here okay? I'll be back before mom does.' The window whooshed open as if finally surrendering to my will.

And I was out, slowly sliding down the rain pipe to the ground below. I looked frantically around me when I hit the floor and was just in time to see her skirts disappear behind a corner. I quickly and silently began my pursuit as I moved from car to lamppost, trying to fit my hair into my hoodie.  
I had only followed her a few blocks before I knew where she was heading to, the town square. I looked up at the town clock and saw it was nearly 7 o'clock, why would she go there now on a monday? I asked myself already knowing the answer. You know why, what happens every monday at this time at the square?

I shook my head as if that would some how erase that thought, the truth, and started heading towards the square. Not following my mom anymore, making my own way through the streets and entering the crowd that had gathered here, like every Monday.

I didn't understand why people still come to watch this. It wasn't mandatory anymore, they revoked it after the introduction of the shifts, meaning people were always working. There for it wasn't realistic to order everybody to be at the town square at an exact time. Half of the people were working and the other half sleeping. Well so you would think. Yet somehow there always was a crowd, like it was something entertaining.  
I didn't get it, I still don't.

I pushed my way through the crowd till I was at the front of it. Not wanting to be in the open, afraid my mother would see me, I edged more to the side and got behind a rather large woman's skirts. I looked over the crowd to see where my mother was and to keep my eyes from wandering to the center of the square, where everybody elses attention layed.

I recognized her straight away, her head popping up above the crowd trying to get through them. Her dark hair it it's usual tangled bun on her head. She pushed and pushed until she was finally in front of the crowd, facing the square. Her face first in a irritated frown goes blank and her hands reached up to cover her mouth.

I focused my whole attention on her, my whole being. Cause I could not face what was on that square, could not believe or handle. Denial is a beautiful thing.

So I watched it through her eyes and heard the screaming and sobbing through my own ears. To afraid to see it all myself, to see my own father.  
I knew that it would be his last living moments on earth and yet I couldn't seem to make myself look at him. To afraid of what I might see, to afraid to watch the light leaving his eyes.

But I knew what was going on none the less. The different emotions that crossed my mothers face made that all to clear. I would see the panic, dread and overall sadness being lifted once in a while by a weak smile and a whisper of the lips. So at least my father knew his wife was here, that she wasn't to afraid to look.

I knew the first bang of the gun shot wasn't my fathers cause my mother stayed calm, though she twitched ever so slightly. It was agonizing to not know which shot would be my dad, I could already feel the shame and regret of not looking taking over me. Tears filled my eyes as if the total realisation of what was about to happen finally caught up with me, striking me some where deep inside, making my stomach twitch and burn.

The second shot echoed through the square like a baby's cry and I couldn't help but feel dread, how many people were there on that square? What shot would be his? My neck ached with the need of turning it, such a small movement and yet I couldn't make myself do it. A woman cried out falling on her knees as two toddlers grabbed her skirts, tears filling their eyes though they had no idea what for.

I knew my dad would be next. Not by some magical feeling everybody thinks you will have if some one close to you will be in danger, because I had no such psychic warning. My mother squeezed her eyes shot while her hands were entangled with the little star necklace my dad had bought her. It was the only piece of jewelery she owned and my mom would've sold it long ago if it wasn't my for my father who had simply ignored her like it wasn't even a option when she offered it. She opened her eyes again but now she couldn't manage to smile or whisper, she looked as if he was the last light in a world of complete darkness. And for the good of me I couldn't not look, I had to see my father again, even if this would mean that I would see his death.

I jerked my head to the left just before the sound of the third bang and I swear this shot was way louder then the ones before. Time seemed to slow down but not slow enough. I found him straight away as he was standing next to an elderly man who I recognized from the streets and a woman in her mid thirties. Two people were already lying on the other side of him and he would soon join them. I got to see him for a second or maybe two, seeing the green in his eyes glimmer as he tried to held back tears, before the bullet made it's impact.

At first it didn't deem to make much difference, I mean sure he had a small hole in his fore head but nothing grotesque. You wouldn't even notice it if he would wear a hat. But then a small stream of blood began to poor out, making it's way down his face over his nose and mouth before it continued down wards and dripped on the large stones of the district square.

He kept standing for a while before the blood lost became to much, though it didn't seem that much at first, and he fell down on his knees, making this wet grumbling noise. Soon blood came out of his mouth in short shocks as he tried to catch his breath, not that it did him any good.  
But the real damage showed when he fell face down on the cold, hard, stones of our district. How small the hole had been in his forehead the larger the hole at the back was. Well hole wasn't even a word for it, more gap like. The whole back side of his head was open, letting you see the bits of brain that had still managed to stay inside. The larger part of which was sprayed on the wall behind him, little pieces slowly sliding down as gravity willed them. Pieces of white showed making it known where his skull was. And as more blood leaked out the more white you could see.

It's weird to see some one you know and love like that. Like a bloody massacre, like a body, a corpse. The thing that made them laugh, cry, shout, love gone fore ever. Makes you wonder what happens afterwards, does it just evaporate?

I didn't even hear the next two shots, just registered that something fell down beside my dad. His arm lying over my fathers ever so slightly, as if they were connected. I guess they were, I mean they were both shot, dead.

They don't even give you time to say goodbye or well watch. As soon as the last one went some one came over to drag the bodies away. Leaving a trail of blood behind every body. Then another person comes with a bucket and a broom and starts cleaning the whole mess. Peaces of brain being washed away. Brain kinda looks like cauliflower when it's washed of blood, I never imagined that.  
After half an hour it would be as if noting ever happened. As if they didn't just murder my dad.

I guess I must've fallen a sleep, cause when I open my eyes Mace is gone. The sun is lower then it was before and night must be settling in.  
Feeling alone and insecure I guess my best plan is to just retreat back into the cave and making a new plan from there.  
I get up, my bum feeling sore from the hard surface it has been sitting on. Arms dangling weak at my side, my head dizzy from the different emotions that has awakened thinking back to it. And, though I hate to admit it, waking up to find myself alone. Like a abandoned child.

I know Mace finds me irritating and I don't like him much more then he me. But still it's better having someone at your side in these games then being alone... well for me it is. Cause alone I'm left with my own thoughts, my own memories. And they seem to have a draining effect on me, like they literally suck the life out of me. Which is not such a good thing in a game of life and death. A game were you good be fighting for your life at any moment.

No Mace leaving, me being alone, is not such a great development for my part in these games.  
But I keep continueing, cause what else can I do? Knowing my baby sister is watching me and yes even my mother.  
I can't give up, I don't even think I could give up. I am not that brave.

I admit, I had a little hope that I would find Mace in the cave. Dozed of against a wall some where or grumbling about his view of the games.  
But that hope is shattered when I look around to discover it's only me and that beautiful ceiling. Though it is to dark to see, since the sun is to low to alight this cave. I know my eyes will adjust if I'll just stay here a few minutes, already I could make out form of where the stone pooked out of the walls or ground.

So I just try to make myself relax, to anxuished to sit down and to numb to walk, I just stand there in complete silent.  
Slowly letting my eyes adjust until I can nearly see every edge of stone in the cave. I look up to the melting roof and suddenly I don't think it's so pretty anymore. It gives me a doomed feeling, like hell it self is coming down on me. Piercing me to the ground until I can no longer breath.

And that's when I hear the slow thump of footsteps. Their carefull, trying out the ground as they go straight into the cave, but never stopping.  
As if some one clicked play I spurt into action, frantically looking around me for something to protect me with. A large or sharp stone should do the trick, as if my mind has already found me one ages ago I detect one right away when I've thought it. I scramble towards it, gripping it in my shaky, clammy hands as hard as I can. Afraid I might drop it and loose everything.

I tiptoe back to the point where the hallway meets the room and duck behind a corner. Cradling the stone to my chest as if it's my only chance, which it pretty much is. I take big shaky breaths as I try to calm myself down, feeling the edge of the rock cut into my right hand. That's good, it means it's sharp enough, I tell myself. Trying to gather courage, for what I'm not sure.

The footsteps continue their path towards me, getting closer every second. I can feel my pulse in my head, like a big gong striking again and again. This is it, time to show them what your made of. You've seen death before, you can do it.

As I tell myself this I know that's what I'm supposed to do, go for the kill. That's what I've unconsciously prepared myself for. It's what this game is about, they know that, I know that. No hard feelings right?

I take one last deep breath as I hear that the next footstep is going to lead them into the room, next to me.

I close my eyes and this warrior, amazon type yell escapes my mouth as I fling my body in the direction of the person who has just entered the room. My arms raised above my head with the sharp rock in it, already coming down to strike.

There's a loud surprised gasp and then I fall into the body, my swing misses and I'm ready to strike again, opening my eyes as I try to see my target. I register a loud rumbling noise at the background but dismiss it as my own adrenaline being pumped like mad in my body.

Before I can see who it is I'm up against I'm flung back as my rock hits target, though it's soft flesh and not the skull I was going for I hear a groan none the less.

I stumble backwards and offcourse my feet seem to take that moment to not participate with the rest of my body. As I feel myself falling down a high pitched scream escaped my lips before I hit my head hardcore. The loud thump seems to echo around me and for a moment I think my head is messed up for the sound must be on repeat.

Untill I feel a heavy coat of dust fall on my arm.

'Get up!' I hear a familiar voice say to me 'Get up! we need to get out of here, now!' I try to look up towards the voice but my head seems to disagree with me and smacks itself back onto the ground. I try to shake it of and get a grip on myself as more dust and stones fall from above.

It's Mace, a small voice inside me says. As I've finally registered the voice. He's come back, he's come back for you.  
The rush of relieve that flushes me seems to come with reality. Because suddenly I seem to be lifted out of my haze and see everything clearly again. Mace who's standing by the entrance of the room hand reached for me as he speaks words of hurry, I think.  
Maybe I'm not as clear as I thought I was anyway. Since he's lips are moving but I can't seem to hear what he's saying.

No, it's the roof collapsing that's making too much noise to hear him. That same small voice says to me as I look up at the ceiling to see what she's talking about.

Large parts of the first beautiful then terrifying ceiling are missing. Dust sways through out the whole cave, making it hard to look. I close my eyes to turn away but not in time to see that the huge spikes are about to break off. One of them hanging just a few metres above me.

A scream seems to build up in me but catches in my throat as my situation finally drifts into the self conscious me.  
Mace must've seen my situation cause I can hear footsteps approaching me fast. I lift my hand up for him to reach while I try to lift myself up with the other. It's too late though, Mace hasn't even reached me yet as I hear a loud crack and the whooshing of air above me.

Death is often described as a numb, floaty, bright light, tunnel feeling. Like your not even hurting that bad.

Well I wish that was true.

Maybe it's the visual that makes the pain that much worst or the white shocked face of Mace that let's me know how dead I was going to be.  
But overall it just hurts, bad.

The large, long, huge spike that was hanging above me and had decided to fall on top of me had made it's destination in my stomach.  
Leaving not only a whole the size of a football in me, not one you could overlook with a hat, but also the most gore I've ever seen.  
I didn't even know there was so much inside of me, if I had known maybe I would've tried harder to keep it in.

Mace reaches me with a hard smack of his knees on the ground. While he's hands instantly starts flapping about the spike in my stomach, not knowing what to do.

'Shit Rachel' He says over and over again as I lie there in complete and utter pain.

A pain that was pure physical I might tell you. I could feel my skin flap where it had been brutally torn. Could feel the stones that had fallen inside me rub against what was left of my intestines, making me wonder how I could possible be feeling anything since I was piecing a huge piece.  
The blood seemed to be every where, I could feel my hand laying in a warm puddle of it on my left while my back was getting soaked in warm liquid as well.

I turn my head to the right to see what my right hand is doing while letting out a desperate cry. Apparently my right hand has been holding the spike inside of me, trying to get it out. And all of the sudden that seemed to be a necessity, to get this rock out of my body.

'Mace get it out!' I scream franticly 'Get it out! Get it out! Get it out!' I scream again as Mace is still doing his 'Shit Rachel'  
He finally seems to notice me and soon joins my right hand in trying to lift the spike out of me.

It was until we actually got a bit of movement in the thing that I realized how utterly painful this was going to be.  
I scream in agony as Mace wobbled the stone, he stopped instantly and looked at me.

'No, keep going!' I scream at him through the pain.

He just nods and focuses back on the spike. Putting his feet down to get a better grip.  
I scream out my pain some more as it roars through me like a really, really bad cramp. But he get's it out of me by the second try.  
If only one us had actually thought this through we would've seen it coming, but we hadn't.

So when the stone spike comes crumbling out and takes half of my organs with it, we're both shocked.  
Well Mace is shocked I'm going through some body altering spasmic shocks. I keep leaving consciousness after that and I can only thank human nature for that. Cause I don't want to consciously feel the things that happen then. It's bad enough that I catch glimpses of it when I do.

By now everything is tinted red, wether this is cause blood has sprayed every where or that's just how you see everything when your dying, I don't know. I'm on my side by now, I guess my spasms left me in a kind of half fetus position. So I have a good view of my body's condition.  
It seems the hole has gone bigger and emptier since the spike is out. Leaving a pool of blood around... well me overall. My intestines are all over the place, but most of them are beside my stomach. In a great big red heap of meat.

And then there's Mace, who's on his knees with some remnants of the spike in his lap. Some of which he is still holding, while he looks at me in complete and utter shock. Like his mind can't keep up with what is happening.

And then in another flash he's whimpering 'I'm sorry' and 'It's going to be okay' While gathering my organs and trying to get them inside of me. But every time he get's something in it falls back out while he get's something else.

My last flash is the weakest of all. Though I can feel myself trying to catch my breath, but coming up empty. I can't seem to hear or see anything. Though I know Mace has given up on trying to fix me cause I can feel his weight on my shoulder as he clutches my hand.

I guess this is it then.  
I'm going to die, I'll never see my sister or my mother again, but maybe I'll see my dad.  
I hate myself for leaving my little sister behind with my mother. But I knew I wasn't coming home the moment that woman read my name.  
She's going to be okay, I'll watch over her.

As I can feel myself drift into blankness. I catch one last glimpse of my death scene, one last glimpse of Mace.  
He's face is right in front of me as he whispers something over and over again. It takes a moment for me to hear, but I catch it at last.

'Knock knock' He's saying 'Knock knock'

* * *

**Well hello there dear readers.**  
**I know it's been a while, but we've been to London and after that I wasn't as focused on writing as I should have.**  
**(I miss London bad and have made it my new goal in life to end up there one way or the other.)**

**Any how, what do you guys think of this long awaited chapter?**  
**It was a hard one to write, mainly cause I didn't get the character very well.**  
**But after some PM-ing with the maker of I seemed to understand her more.**  
**I would love to know what you thought of her and the gorey parts since I've never written gore before.**

**Well as always thank you very much for reading and please don't forget to review.**

**xxxo Miss-Almond**


	10. Chapter 10 Blood, Diamonds & MrNoBalls

Female District 1  
Ruby Holbrook  
Partner: Alive 

* * *

**Blood, Diamonds and Mr. No-Balls**

The birds chirped happily in the bright blue sky that day. It was a nice day with the warmth of the sun and a cool breeze that swept my sisters blond curls in her face. She pulled her hair back in a rubber band she took from her wrist and smiled at me, as she stood over me. We were in the garden behind our house and I stood there giving Pearl, my sister the most angry look I could manage. Deep down I knew I should be thankful for my sister's patience. But at that moment it was slightly hard to be thankful.

"Get on with it Ruby I don't have all day, I'm meeting up with Aeron in a minute." She said her foot tapping impatiently against the grass covered earth.

"Fuck you Pearl." I spit at her.

"Don't talk to me like that, you little brat. Now do- as- I- say."

A lesson in acting and self-control she had called it. I normally wasn't one to disagree with training but this one went a little far for my taste. I looked down at the snail again. Slowly it made its way through the grass, leaving a shimmering trail of slime behind it. Its wet, slime covered, yellow-whitish skin made my stomach turn even just by staring at it. And I was supposed to pick it up, pop it in my mouth and eat it, slime skin and even its little brown house, a small brown shell on the snails back. I had to do this, and be nice to my sister for a week, no revenge no evil looks, or mean comments. She had told me I could plot my revenge after that week, but until then I could show no sign of hate.

Normally this would sound like a dumb trick, or this would be done by force simply because the older sibling was teasing the younger one. However she never teased me. We weren't like that; we were professional. Even I back then -only six years old- knew how utterly important everything I experienced was. When you train to play a game of life and death, there is one thing you do not joke about. One thing you always, always take serious. And that's training. Because you might just need that one lesson or that one edge to keep yourself alive in the game.

I shudder at the memory of what happened next. And even though I completed that lesson perfectly I still don't know how I manage this. I don't know how I keep my fists tight at my side, as we walk through the forest. I don't know how the fuck I keep myself from wrapping my anxious hands around Caine's neck and tightening my grip until he finally, finally stops. But I do. I just keep walking, with him by my side, without actually killing him.

Don't get me wrong. I do so desperately want him dead. I do so desperately want to press my thumbs into those brilliant green eyes. Feel them squish and pop, blood and eye moist slipping down his temples as if they were tears. However he is strong, very strong, and without weapons I know it would be too much of a risk to fight him.

It would be a fight I could possibly win, but I don't want to risk the injuries, because even if I did kill him, he would put up a good fight. So I just have to be patient until I can finally get rid of the annoying little bastard. The annoying little bastard, who is now once again trying my patience.

He stops his stroll suddenly his left hand, which is wearing black fingerless gloves, held up to his temple. His eyes are closed as if he suddenly got very dizzy.

Maybe I do have a chance at taking you out soon.

I sigh, loud enough for him to hear. "What is it?" He doesn't answer for a while. Just stands there eyes closed, one hand, at his temple the other one clenching and unclenching by his side. I kick at some leaves on the ground. They fly up and drift down again. I sigh and look up at him through my long wavy blond hair. Dickhead, like we have time to waste. We should find the people with our number or more specifically my number so I can get my weapons and get rid of you.

Yeah things are interesting this time; with the whole play nice game they have set up for us this year. A good thing I'm not a retard like most of the kids in the game, I actually did figure it out at the cornucopia, a down side though that douchebag here had to figure it out as well. And on top of that follow me as well "It's not safe for a lady in these woods" or whatever lame comment he had made. Fuck that shit I'd kill him in an instant if it wasn't for the fact that I had nothing to actually kill him with.

Thump.

Thump.

Me and my sister looked at the items our father had thrown on the dark wooden dining table in front of us, at each other and then back at the items on the table- as if we were not quite certain if this was real. It was training time, and strangely enough our father had told us to meet him at the dining table. For a moment I had feared he would have us eat something disgusting, like my sister had forced me to years ago. But instead of a plate with snails, in front of me lay a book. A book out of which, half of the pages had been torn out, leaving only the first half of the book readable. The book in front of me had a dark blue cover, and white letters titled it Detective Ercoril and the mystery of the eye collector, my sister's book which was similarly torn had a black cover was called The porcelain doll killer.

Our father, a tall strong build man, crossed his arms and looked at us with his light brown eyes. Me and my sister just sat there, obediently waiting for him to speak. Because always he would explain the necessity of the training, and what we had to do. This was important even I at my twelve years of age understood that. I also understood why it was so important for me to do my best. Not just because my life might depend on it one day, but also because me, and my sister, are his daughters, and he our father who I knew loved us deeply would sent us into the hunger games, a place where only one makes it out alive. And there for I had to understand, and take in everything he told us, because one day I would be there fighting for my life and fighting to bring me, his daughter back to him. Don't get me wrong, I was anything but miss goody two shoes, but there was one thing I didn't joke about, making sure I could bring myself back to my family. My father straightened himself as he stood behind the other side of the table. "You could be the strongest, fastest contestant with the best fighting techniques and die so easily." He began, "In order to win these games you'll need to know more than fighting skills. Sometimes you'll need to be able to understand other peoples motives, or figure out who killed who in his sleep so you'll know your enemy, I could go on endlessly but I won't bore you with that. But please understand the importance of being able to figure things out quickly." He paused and looked at us to make sure we payed attention. We nodded. "Read this, and tell me the clue of the book as well as who the murderer is. Until I hear a fulfilling answer this table will not hold food." With that he walked around the table towards us and laid a hand on our shoulder. "Good luck." Was all he had left to say before turning and walking out of the dining room.

I heard my sister sigh next to me as she pulled her book towards her and opened it. Something quite unlike her, we don't sigh or pout, or are bothered with what father commands us during training. "What is it?" I asked her without looking at her just grabbing my own book and opening it.

"I was supposed to meet up with Aeron tonight... Now I'm stuck reading a fucking detective novel." I froze in my movement; the first page of the book hanging in the air between my thumb and index finger. I look at her in the corner from my eye. She sat there looking at her book with a bored expression, like she had not just said that.

Feeling my stare she looked back at me. "What?"

I just shook my head. "Unless Aeron like his girls cold and limp you better do your best."

She just sighed and rolled her eyes. I wonder now if she understands, the connection between the training and what I'm doing now. Not that it matters much, honestly I really don't give a fuck about her. The only thing that matters is that I did get my training and that there for I had had my advantage in the games.

Honestly I am surprised, only me and Caine figured things out. Is the rest of the career pack really that dumb? The numbers on our necks, the twelve pieces on the map with a number on each far side of each piece. I would have stayed with the career pack for some time if it wasn't for that. If it wasn't for the fact that Erix and Deamyn had the same number on their necks. Twelve pieces of map, twelve 'groups' of tributes, but truly there were only eleven pieces of map left. One had crashed down into the ground on the first day. Right after that blind kid had died. I had thought it might have something to do with his death, but when Willow died the day after that none of the parts of our arena had gone down. So I was probably wrong about that. Either way only me and Caine were smart enough to get what the map meant anyway.

Unfortunately Caine is a huge douche bag. With his green eyes, pale skin, freckles and red hair. I mean he even looks like a douche bag for Christ's sake. I'm so caught up in my thoughts I am almost surprised when he speaks again.

"I'm sorry Ruby, it's just ." I look over at him; he no longer is holding his hand to his temple. Just stares back at me with regretful eyes. Ugh even apologizing like that, grow some f-ing testicles for Christ's sake. "You have to understand Ruby If anything goes wrong, if I sud-"

He is cut off by a loud bang. It echoes through the forest. Both of us tense for a moment. When we realize it's the cannon, I relax. He however gets a sad look on his face. Regret and pain vibrating off his gentle green eyes. He is such a loser. So I break the silence. "You think... maybe another part of the ground will fall down?"

He frowns at me for a moment still too caught up in his melodramatic thoughts when he realizes where I'm going at. "Not sure, but I think it's worth checking out."

I nod and walk over to a tree. Climbing isn't my specialty but last time I was able to get into a tree when we wanted to see what all the noise and trembling was.

"Be careful now, I could check as well you know. Climbing isn't something a lady should have to do."

I freeze and feel my muscles tightening. One... Two... Three... Four... Five... Six.. Seven...Eight... Nine... Ten...

"You could make a awful fall from that tree, are you sure you don't want me to go in there." He continues in his sugary voice.

My fists ball at my side, as I try to force myself not to beat the bloody shit out of him. Stay calm Ruby. Just breathe, just breathe.

I take a deep breath and instead of connecting my fist to his face I make a small jump wrapping my hands around one of the lower branches. I pull my body up, pressing my feet against the tree trying to get more leverage. once I'm higher I sweep my legs over the branch and force my weight over in order to sit on the first branch. From there I climb from branch to branch trying to get higher. The wood moans under my weight some times, but I don't show fear or doubt as I make my way up. They might be watching me, showing I'm not capable to climb a tree wouldn't be good for my sponsorship.

Once I'm up high enough I take a look over my surroundings, I hold my hand above my eyes to block out the sun which is slowly making its descent to the earth. On the far right side I can see the canyon created yesterday loom in the distance. And there a little bit closer I see trees sinking in the ground. It's strange to view it from this distance. The wind is in my back and I can't hear a single thing from where I am. Yet over there it must be a hell of a noise. Earth crumbles and trees fall down in the debris of earth and stone.

"And?" a voice yells from beneath me.

I turn my head to look at him and tell him about the fact another part of the arena has gone down when something catches my eye. I quickly turn my head towards what ever glimpse of movement i saw. Two, no three figures walk in the far distance on a field. "Finally." I mutter under my breath. If we can just reach them, maybe one of 'em has my number. Ofcourse there is always the risk of one of them only having Caine's number but in that case I'll head off and go solo. Either way it would be lovely to see one of them have my number. Finally I'd be able to get my weapons, I wonder though what kind of weapon I'll get. Knives, perhaps, oh how I love knives. The small simple combat type knives. Easy to kill with, easy to hide, can be used for throwing if necessary, good for sneak kills aswell what more could a girl want in a weapon. Yes knives would be good, not great for long range but then again that isn't really my specialty anyway.

"Ruby!" An annoying sound calls from below, distracting me from my daydream about weapons to murder Cain with.

"What?"

"Did you see anything?" He asks doubtfully, most likely feeling uncomfortable with my harsh answer.

"Part of the ground has gone down." I say as a start making my way down the branches. "More interestingly though, I saw some kids making their way down west." Jumping out I brush off my clothes and pull a lost leaf out of my hair. "It's not too far I think. We should reach them... Well not today but I'm guessing somewhere tomorrow."

Caine nods. "Well best to head off in their direction then I guess huh?"

Of course it would be best to head off in their direction. Are you so fucking weak you need my agreement in everything we do, even if it is that obvious? God I hate you so much. But I just end up rolling my eyes and saying. "Oh my god seriously, wow you're so fucking smart." And truly this is an epic moment of self control because honestly I still so, so, so, badly want to beat the boy up.

He follows, doesn't say anything, but he follows. I hear his footsteps behind mine. He probably doesn't want to follow me. Probably wishes he'd grouped up with someone nicer. But I can just imagine him also being the type that can see the good in me... or whatever weird ideas guys like Caine have.

We walk together in silence again for sometime, a thing for which I am ever so grateful. I glance over at him and frown at what I see. A thin layer of sweat glistens on his forehead and he seems even paler then before. His lips are slightly parted as if he's not getting enough air. Normally I'd be happy about this, the fact that he is getting sick. But why would he suddenly be getting sick. We had food and water in our backpacks it could impossibly be poisoned could it. Would the gamemakers be trying to get rid of the carreers like that? No, impossible, after all I was still okay. Yeah 'still' okay, but what if the air or something is poisoness and you simply aren't noticing the affects yet? I take a deep breath and decide to find out what it wrong with him."Are you okay?" I ask trying to actually sound concerned about his well being.

He glances at me with a smile. Probably glad to see I can be a caring person. He's such an idiot. But then his smile fades again and he looks forward again. "I need to get to my things." Is all he says.

I frown again."You mean your weapons?"

He stops walking at that, and I can feel annoyance building up in my chest again. Why did he have to be so god damned melodramatic why couldn't he just get over himself and on with the games? Seriously if you don't want to play just commit suicide else you're just a waste of breath or a walking target.

"No, I'm sick. I need my medication; I couldn't bring it in the arena of course. I'm not sure if they put it at my number... but I can just imagine the game makers having fun over whether or not I'll be able to reach it. So maybe..." He doesn't say anything else.

I just stand there for a moment, listening to the sound of the forest the wind, crickets a birds singing in the distance. It's not that I feel bad for him. It's the games I would have killed him anyway. The thing why I'm suddenly so silent and thinking is because I sense something is off. The way he tells me this, wasn't there something, something else.

"It's okay, don't worry about me, I'll be fine."

"Whatever, just don't think I'll stop cause your tired or something." I answer as I pick up my pace again.

"I wouldn't expect you to do that, better be safe and find the ones with our number as fast as we can." I hear him follow again, faster this time. Keeping up, but I can also hear how his feet drag over the leaves ever so slightly from time to time. He's losing it... maybe I'll have a chance at it tonight... If he stays sick, I attack him in his sleep. Perhaps, just perhaps I will finally have some peace. I smile at the thought, the fantasy of ending his existence. Don't get me wrong, it's not like I get off on killing people. Sure I imagine there being a pleasant surge of power. But mostly I just want him dead because he is getting on my nerves, and since this is actually a hunger game I'd rather get rid of him sooner than later.

I was trained to be a carreer, of course I have no problem with killing, not for this, never for this. I'm not weak like the bitch of an older sister I have. It's weird how easy you can lose all respect for someone just like that. How easily everything you ever thought of someone can be erased.

Me and my sister had always been different on some level. I liked going out to town and hanging at Pherosia's- a pub where mostly the richer teenagers and young adults hung out. Pearl however, she preferred being where ever Aeron was. Something I did not quite get. Don't get me wrong I like boys... Allot. But I prefer to have certain variety to what type of boy I have from time to time where as my sister seemed glued to her precious little Aeron. Aeron has always been part of Pearl's life for as long as I could remember, and for as long as I could remember I had also always hated Aeron. I'm not quite sure why apart from him just not being cool enough for my sister, I suppose maybe we are just two completely different people. The last time I saw mister I like to screw your big sister, he was 19 and no longer at risk of being reaped and yet he had been completely stressed lately. Out of fear of what might happen to his beloved Pearl I guess. Of course I understood this I too feared for her life. But I also trusted her too be strong enough to survive and mostly I understood what this meant to her... She had worked so hard for this, we both had all our lives, and fighting in the games was part of our lives as it had been for all of us,

But I had been able to keep my cool and ignore his melodramatic behavior that had been going on for months all for the love and peace of my big sisters life. It had been during dinner the night before the reaping however that I had lost it. We had a family dinner because of Pearl leaving soon and for some reason the guy was considered family. He got to be there even though it was a family moment.

My mother gave Pearl her diamand earing a sign of Pearl becomming of age. And fulfilling her role as a member of our family by entering the hungergames. It had been the token of the females in our family and Pearl would have it untill it was my time to volunteer for the games. The earing was a large stone enlayed in silver. Simple but the size of the stone and the briliance with which it shone showed just how much it was worth.

How ever, Aeron was not in the celebrating mood, and his constant sad expression was annoying me to death. So somewhere during dinner when the conversation was going along the lines of "oh and have you heard of may ann well she-" or whatever useless blabbering my aunt was talking about I decided to throw my wine in Aeron's face and swear the bloody shit out of him. I also managed to tell him how he didn't believe in my sister's strength and how he didn't understand the meaning of honor, somewhere between all the swearing that came out of my mouth. But instead of yelling back at me like a man, he just grabbed his napkin and cleaned his face- carefully taking his time- just to annoy me I'm sure, but I waited patiently for him to finish and say something mean to me. However again since the guy had no balls what so ever he just got up and looked at me.

"Ruby, you just don't get it do you. You're the one who doesn't understand Pearl's strength simply cause you don't get what true strength is. And I might not understand honor but at least I understand love; and that is something you obviously do not get." He turned shoved his chair back and walked out of the dining room without as much as a goodbye.

"Thanks allot Ruby." My sister's voice practically spat at me. I blinked half confused, so caught up in my little fight I had almost forgotten about the fact that we were having dinner.

"What the hell Pearl he was totally ruining dinner with his sad face." I said, not anger but confusion filling my voice.

She chuckled darkly and shook her head before getting up and throwing her napkin on her plate in a dramatic motion. "He was right you know; what he said about you. You just don't get it." And with that she decided to finish the dramatic sequence and left the room following her precious boyfriend outside. It's not true though, she's the one who doesn't get it. It would be best if she got it now. If she understood, not that I care for her anymore but if she got it now, at least it would hurt more for her.

I drag a stick I found through the dead leaves on the ground in complete and utter boredom. Glancing back I can see Caine walking away. He said he'd go and see if he could hunt something down, or find something edible. Not so much cause there's no food left in our backpacks but who knows how much will be left soon. We only took what we could carry and since I plan on finishing these games, I'll probably be around for a while.

Now normally I would not say no to a good hunt, since I could really use the release of agression. But considering Caine would probably have gone with, not wanting me to do something that dangerous all by myself. I decided playing with a stick would be a hell of allot more fun then going on an adventure, cause atleast I'd be rid of him for a while.

Already bored with myself I decide to make a fire, however the lighter in my backpack makes sure I'm finnished way too soon. So i drink some water, do some air boxing and practice some kicks against an old oak, before sliding down it and getting comfy against the big tree.

Who would have guessed the games would be this boring. And who would have guessed that instead of hunting down people with the career pack I'd end up with the biggest pussy ever known in the history of district and capitol. Yeah I have to admit things could be a hell of allot better right now. Ah well killing mister douchebag would make up for it, and if it wouldn't well i guess I'd have to throw in some mild torture just to make us even.

The crackling of the small camp fire is interupted by a familiar sound. The anthem, I sigh looking up at the sky to find a face I recognize imediatly. Not because I care, simply because it's always important to know your enemies. Even if they seem insignificant. Rachel Ashwood the girl from district eleven, I had listed her as insignificant in my head. Avarage brains, avarage to weak strenght and a weak sponsorship. Nothing special.

I shrug off an uncomfortable feeling that comes up as I think that thought, nothing special. Somehow it reminds me of a girl. A girl I didn't even ever really know... what was her name again... Lauren something...

I rubbed my sweaty hands off against my pants. I felt my heart beat in my throat, that day would be the day. Not my day no I was still just sixteen years old. That day would be my sister's day, at eighteen, she would offer herself as a tribute.

I glanced back and searched for her face in the crowd of the eighteen year olds. I found her, to discover her face was pale as she stared ahead with a blank expression. Strange I never thought of her to be the type to get scared. Then again maybe it was logical after all she had trained for this day her entire life hadn't she.

So I just looked back in front of me pride for my sister surging through my body. Of course the hungergames were awful and I'd rather wish they would stop with it. But at the same time I came from a family that fought for it's district's honor. A family that sacrificed it's children to make sure others didn't have to. It's something to be proud of, something that is in a way pretty damn cool if you ask me. To be able to do that, stand up and sacrifice yourself to do something most kids have nightmares about, and to then come back to your district alive. Yes my sister would soon be damn awesome, and she would come back she'd have to after all she had done her best all these years with training hadn't she, even though she hung out with her boyfriend allot lately. Then again I had my own life too, as strict as our father was with training as loose he was with our freedom. After all there was always the small possibility we wouldn't come back and thus we were free to do pretty much what we wanted. And with the spoils of my dad's and my mother's winnings as well as their jobs, me and my sister were settled pretty good.

The mayor talked about the history, blah blah blah like we haven't heared all that before. Time crept by slowly as all I wanted is to hear was my sister volunteering.

"Ladies first!" the voice snaps me out of my thoughts. The woman stuffs he hand and pulls out a piece of paper. "Laurrel Hattiger"... I wait for my sisters voice to call out it's quiet however and I saw a girl in the twelve year old section start looking around herself uncomfortably, wanting the confirmation of a volunteer. I looked back at my sister. My heart dropped when I saw her starring at the floor in shame, streaks of tears covering her cheecks.

"What the hell Pearl?" I yelled at her. "Do it already!" But she didn't react, just stood there like she wasn't just putting a shit load of shame on our family's name. Too outraged at my sisters behavior I didn't even notice the peacekeeper that came up to me. "Be quit!" An obey yelled at me, in a not so very nice way. Looking back I had just enough time to see the back of his gun making its way towards my face. A sharp pain ran trough my nose almost all the way back into my skull, I grabbed my nose feeling the warmth of fresh blood slipping through my fingers. I swore under my breath and gave the guy a look as he turned and retreated back to his position by the seventeen year olds like he had not just hit me in the face with the back of his gun.

"Any volunteers?"

I wipe my bloody nose on the sleeve of my jacket. "God damn it Pearl get your ass up there."

She looks up at me pain written in every feature of her face as she shakes her head in regret. How could she, how could she? How could my own sister be this weak. How could she, especially with a twelve year old's name being called for. She was basically killing the girl named Laurrel this way.

"Oh god please!" A woman's voice called out, perhaps the girls mother I don't bother to look, cause Pearls eyes grow wide and I can hear a steady pace of footsteps coming up from behind me. I turn swiftly on my heels grabbing the peacekeeper by his wrist and twisting it in a fluent motion while stepping behind him. Once his hand is position uncomfortably behind his back I give it a good jerk upwards making the peace keeper moan in pain.

Immediately I hear multiple clicks of guns getting ready to blast my head off. But I just spit out bloody saliva from the knock the guard gave me earlier and look up at the stage.

"I volunteer."

Crunch, crunch, the sound of footsteps breaking the dead leaves on the ground makes me shoot up from my seat against an old oak. I turn around to face the direction the sound came from. It's dark by now and I see nothing in the black of the night, the only light being the small fire crackling behind me. "That you Caine?" He'd gone out to see if he could hunt something down, not that we didn't have anything left in our backpacks, but it's better to be fed well and save our rations for later. No answer. No weapons either. I remind myself. I might be good at hand to hand combat, but against a bow and arrow or a spear that doesn't really help allot. I ball my fists trying to get ready for whatever is out there.

Crunch, crunch, the sound again but this time closer. Another sound becoming audible as well, a dragging sound, like a dead body against earth. Jeez don't ease on the dark thoughts now huh Ruby, Seriously where the hell did that resemblance come from? "I'd fucking speak up if you know what's good for you. Even you Caine, I'll snap that pale neck of yours, even on a guess got it!" I wait for an answer while positioning my feet better, in order to fight or flight, whatever is the best, though I honestly don't feel like running I'm not about to risk it all for honor if the person coming up to me has a weapon. I squint my eyes trying to get a better view of what's ahead. Something moves in the outline of trees in the distance. "Cat got your tongue dickhead?" I yell at the figure, but it doesn't answer just slowly keeps coming closer.

Crunch, crunch, drag, crunch, crunch, drag. And something else now too, its quiet but adrenaline makes my hearing sharp. The faint sound of someone whispering. Fast the words fall over the figures lips. It's too quiet and quick to make out but I can say that it's an uneasy sound, like a madman whispering something over and over again. The figure is closer now, it's a tall, well build, male figure. His hands wrapped around something big, and oddly shaped as he drags it with him. And as he almost enters the small circle of light that the fire casts I make my decision. Though it's not really a decision. It never is with fight or flight.

I fight. I run towards the figure just as he steps into the light, my fist getting ready to smash his skull like nobody's business. Just as I'm ready to land my punch I see his face. Time seems to stop as I realize who it is. Caine, his green eyes black let alone for a green ring around it so small it is hardly visible. His face is so pale by now, death would just give him a proper tan. The only thing- not as white as snow on his face are his freckles, and the streaks and specks of blood that cover his face. His expression however is not one of a killer. But one of someone in deep shock and confusion, unfortunately for him my fist is only thirty centimeters away from his shock-face and coming in fast.

Impact. I can even hear the impact of my fist against skin smashing into each other, however there is no crack or crunch and trust me when I say my left fist should have a very good soundtrack when it decides to go loose. And if it wasn't for that it would have taken me longer to notice why he is not flying backwards. My fist is perfectly implanted in his palm not more than two inches away from his face. Fuck emo boy might have balls after all. As nice though as it is for him that he has balls something catches my eye. His expression, something dark lingers in those black eyes, but it fades and he drops his hand, whatever he was dragging across the ground and stumbles two steps backwards. His lips open and move as if he wants to say something. But no words come out, only white puffy clouds that disappear in the cold night air.

"What the fuck Caine?" I ask hoping to know whether I'll be fighting him or not. Something, I'd really like to know after his kung fu master move just now. Not that I wouldn't stand a chance but I can't risk him surprising me either.

He blinks and stares at me in confusion. "R-r-ru-by?"

I lift an eyebrow at him. "Y-y-yes?" I mock back at him.

He sighs with relief and leans his face in his palms. No he's not fighting, even a douchebag like him wouldn't drop his guard like that. "I...I- I'm sorry... I don't...I-I- didn't mean to scare you."

"Yeah well how 'bout a howdy then next time before you stumble up to me like that." I push down my annoyance since something is definitely going on with this boy, and god knows my attitude isn't helping. So I take a breath and decide to put a more serious tone in my voice. "What the hell happened out there?"

He looks at me for a moment, as if not quite sure how to answer, and then his gaze lingers down at the ground where he had let go of whatever he'd been dragging with him. I look at it and the first thing that comes to my mind is a big pile of snow and blood when I see it, of course this does not make much sense. I blink and realize the white is fur. "Holy shit..." I barely mutter at the sight of what he's brought with him. A white bunny the size of a big calf lies by my feet. Blood covers its face, its big black eyes staring into nothingness. On the side of its head there's a big sickening gap, white of bone is visible around the open gash, uncovering its brains like worms mashed to gather it looked with blue and green veins running through it. The brain shone with a twisted warm color in the light of the fire. Curious at this monster I kneel down and reach for the bunny's mouth and pull up its lips, to find big white fangs stained with more blood.

I hear Cain stumbling towards the fire, and I look back at him. "How the fuck did you manage to take this thing out?"

He leans against the old oak, slides down it with his back and takes a seat- my seat to be more precise- by the fire. "Rocks..." he mutters as he stares at the flames.

I get up and walk over to him dragging the monster bunny carcass with me. I lay it by the fire and take a seat on the dead and bloody yet soft and fluffy carcass. "Rocks?"

He looks up at me as if his mind had wondered off, slowly I can see his face turning less white now a small blush of cold creeping back to his cheeks, and the green ring around his pupils coming back. "Yeah... uhmm there were rocks, I grabbed one and smashed his skull with it." His voice sounds distant as he speaks, and even as he looks at me his eyes seem away somehow. One would think he must have been traumatized pretty badly yet I notice how the blood on his face, hands and even his leather jacket and the grey tank he wears under it are bloody, yet it doesn't run doesn't get worse. Because it isn't his blood, because he killed of monster bunny without getting much more then some bruises. Which in my book would be considered pretty awesome, only of course not if you cry like a baby afterwards... okay so maybe he isn't crying. Still even though I'd do a better job I must say I am ever so slightly impressed... besides his whole melodrama sequence right now of course.

"Thank you." He says looking up at me.

"Oh I'll aim my fist for your head anytime dear just say the word."

He chuckles. "No I just mean... you know..."

No I don't and I really don't care. I glance over at the fire feeling annoyed at his talk, talk, talk.

"For- Just for being here, I'd gone mad in this place if it wasn't for..."

Oh god do you want some guy playing piano for the OST on this.

"well for having a friend in this awful place."

I look back at him and crook him an eyebrow. "Caine you do realize that we compete against each other in this. Do not even think for one second I am gonna fall for the buddy thing."

He shakes his head and smiles at me. "I don't mean it like that, it's just- nice to have someone to be strong for in these games."

I sigh, drop my head between my knees and stare at the white fluffiness of the bunny beneath me while muttering "I hate my life."

At least I have the sponsors in my pocket. I thought to myself as I looked out of the window and stared at the town square. People left talking to each other. The girl, whose name had been called. Laurel, I saw her still oyster-ed into a hug by her mother somewhere on the right side of the area used for the reapings. Honestly I wondered if the poor girl would be able to feel her legs tomorrow with how tight and long her mother was hugging her.

I shoved my hands in my pockets and sighed as I let my head fall back and stared at the ceiling. It was a boring ceiling, simple plain and white. Just as boring as about everything in this entire god damn room. If their making a tribute wait they couldn't atleast dump some magazines or something.

Just when my thoughts felt like ranting on about the lack of entertainment the door behind me opened. I turned around to find my mother and father coming in with pain in their eyes. Not pain for me, maybe a bit of worry because I hadn't finished my training yet, because I could be alot better in two years when I'd be eighteen. But the pain in their eyes was for losing a daughter. Not to the hungergames but to what ever foolish reason Pearl had not to volunteer herself.

My mother ran over to me pulling me in her arms. "I love you Ruby, you will win this, I promise, I know you can do this." She pulled back and I could see her try to control her emotions, her lower lip quivering ever so slightly. As she forced herself not to cry.

"Of course I'll win this shit, I'm a Holbrook. Holbrook's kick ass mom." I said giving her a sympathetic smile.

"Indeed they do Ruby, and I expect you to win, and bring back honor to our family." My father replied, as he put a hand on my shoulder, which is pretty much as far as he'd ever go to hugging.

I nodded in response."Ofcourse dad."

"But mostly Ruby," He began shoveling uncomfortably in his suit. "I expect you to... well to bring my only daughter back... so you... uhmm- win-that-shit." Then he leaned over and gave me the shortest hug ever and cleared his throat. "Pearl is outside."

I nodded and took a deep breath trying to clear my mind. So much had happened that day and I felt my head was about to spin. I only gave me a second to gather myself though, I knew there wasn't much family bonding time. "Let her in."

My father nodded and left the room his arm wrapped around my mothers small frame. It was only two seconds after they left that Pearl came in. Her eyes, red from crying, had dark circles under them and she looked even paler than before. What I also noticed was that she seemed smaller at that moment. Hardly any taller then me though she normally beat my with a good fifteen centimeters.

"Ruby I-" Her shivered and stopped walking and her hand flew up to her mouth as if speaking was too painful. She seemed about ready to jump straight out of the window, if I didn't give in and tell her it was okay and that I'd forgive her. In fact she looked so filled with sorrow and regret I'd almost- just almost feel sorry for the girl.

"I don't even care how you could do that Pearl. Honestly I don't give a fuck anymore." I pulled my right hand out of my pocket and inspected the dirt I found underneath my fingernails as I continued. "For all I care the peacekeepers could shoot you right where you stand I couldn't careless as long as I don't get any of your blood on me."

For a second she kept her yap shut, to stunned at my words. "Ruby... How can you say that... We're sisters, we grew up together."

"Yes your right we are sisters, unfortunately people will relate my name to yours, so you'd be best to get married to your shitty little boyfriend and drop the family name. You do understand that not me nor father will allow that right?" I finnished flicking out the dirt from under my finger nails and shoved my hand back into my pocket. Sighing I let my head fall back and stare at the boring ceiling again.

"It's not like I chickened out Ruby... I don't- I- I don't expect you to accept what I did. Just... please hear me out. I was planning to volunteer but... I-"

I cut her off. "I- I- R-Ruby... do you think I have all fucking day? I don't Pearl I have to go on a train to the capitol in a few minutes."

"You didn't have to volunteer... you could have waited."

I chuckle still looking at the ceiling. "What at let that twelve year old kill herself? And let our family honor go to hell? Fuck that shit I'm am not like you."

"You think I wanted to Ruby? You think I wanted to give this up? I had no choice... I'm pregnant."

I look down on her, and by the shock and incomprehension written on her features, I just know she doesn't get my expression, of confusion and disbelieve.

"You got pregnant? How fucking dumb are you... there is a thing called protection you know."

"It's not like I meant to..."

"What ever I don't care."

"If you don't care then why did you let me in Ruby... We're sisters please tell me you wont let something like this ruin that."

I chuckled again and walked up to her looking her straight in the eyes. "You want to know why I wanted to see you one more time." She doesn't react just clenches her jaw as I can see her fight the tears in her eyes. Then I grabbed her hair with my left hand and pulled her head down with all my force. I heard her gasp in shock but she was too late she didn't see it coming. My right hand reached for her ear. I felt the stone, the family heirloom in her ear. I jerked at it feeling it rip through the thin flesh of her ear, and released my grip on her hair.

She pulled and stumbled back, grabbing at her ear and gasping for breath. I just held the bloodied earing up in the air between my thumb and indexfinger and watched the light dance in its briliance while I calmy awnsered her question. "You had something that belonged to me."

* * *

Day 3:

3rd  
Female district 11  
Rachel Ashwood  
Deceased

20 to go 

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**Reviews are highly appreciated but I think you know that by now ^^**

**Stravvberry**


	11. Chapter 11 There's something in the tree

Name: Melody Basil  
District: 12  
Partner: Alive

* * *

**There's something in the tree**

I admit that it's not really smart to start a friendship out here and by no means did I plan to do that. But even if I would've chosen to ally with some one, it would not be her. No, she's not really a big help to me surviving these games. Sure I like the company and she does make me laugh. Truth is it's hard enough surviving on my own, now I have to take care of her as well. But it just kinda happened and now I can't imagine these games without her.

"Good morning, sleepy head" She chimes first thing when my eyes slowly flutter open.

"Morning" I grumble back since I'm not much of a early bird and try to roll myself over so the fine rays of the morning sun don't pierce my sleepy eyes.

"I've gathered breakfast" She says in a sing song voice dragging the 'fast' out trying to pursuede me to wake up.

To be honest this doesn't really thrill me. Since I know there's not much tasty food to find in these woods. But I also know that she must've really done her best to find anything since she has no clue for what to look for. So I put on my best morning smile while turning back around to face her. "Hmmmm smells delicious, what ya cooked, freckles?"

"Raspberry pancakes with cream and hot chocolate sauce on the side, just as you like it" She laughs while dropping herself on the ground beside me, making her brown curls jump in response. She opens her hands and lays her gathering on the ground before her. I look down to see some berries and leaves in various sizes and colours.

"Since I have no idea what goes for food around here I figured I might as well pick something of everything that seemed even ramotely eatable." She shrugs and looks at me for encouragement

"Well... you've done great" I say hoping I made her feel good as I try to spot anything good or well not poisionous in the bunch. "That one will do me just fine" I pick a small sized blue berry of the floor and pop it in my mouth picking out another berry I recognize as okay and handing it to her. "Hmmm, fresh cream not the metalic canny stuff" I smile up to her as we begin our 'trying to imagine we're eating better food then we are' conversation.

"Yeah, I've done mine with strawberries, freshly picked out of our own back garden." She picks the berry out of my hand and pops it in her mouth smiling a big, full smile that always makes her nose crunch up a bit lifting the freckles on her pale white cheeks. "So what's the plan for today?" She always asks this as if I have some master plan in store of how to win these games, which unfortunately I have not.

"What about, searching for food, brainstorming about these numbers and trying not to get killed?" I say while picking some other berries before raising myself up and stretching my arms above my head.

"Same as yesterday then, I like it." She bends over and starts unraveling my hair like she does every morning which always makes me sigh "You know my hair isn't as manageble as yours." envy clearly in my voice as I look at her golden brown smooth curls. Almost a reflection of mine, except my hair is longer and my curls always seem to tangle in eachother. "How can you not even bother to try and straighten yourself out. You know Jake is watching your every move, you should atleast try to look decent for his sake." She knows bringing up Jake makes me feel bad. Cause though as awfull as it sounds, I don't want to think of him.

We've been together now for three years, which for other people is a good a time as any to get married, I'm not so sure it is. I mean sure I love him and I want to be with him for ever but that doesn't mean that it's going to happen. Even if I wouldn't have been chosen for these games. We haven't broken up two times this year for nothing. See, there was this itch in our relationship that we couldn't seem to get rid of: our future.  
He wants us to move in together and for me to be a stay at home mom while he is of being a peacekeeper. He says he doesn't want to be one but it's the only way he can see to propperly take care of me. Which seems nice enough if I wanted to be cared for.  
I on the other hand didn't think there needed to change much. We could've both found a job, whether in the mines or somewhere else. No moving in together, screaming babies or doing jobs we really don't want to do and go against our believes. This plan seemed much better to me.

Looking back now though it's seems silly that we fought about this so much. What does it really matter? As long as we would've had a future together, everything would've been okay. The rest would've sorten it self out.  
But now, in these games, I don't want to think about it. Don't want to think about everything that will never be, everything that I'll miss, never will have.

So I shake her hands of of me, pop two berries in my mouth and hand her the rest. I swipe some dirt and leaves of my black pants and straigten my navy green jacket, exhaling loudly so she knows that I don't apreciate her attempt of bringing him up.

"So, shall we walk a circle around the cornucopia or try to reach the end of this arena?" I ask her as I twirl around in my spot.

"Well, let's see where destiny will take us." She walks over to me with a beaming smile on her face. I stop in mid twirl knowing she's got something on her mind. She crosses her arms while taking my hands  
'Come on, which ever way you fall we'll go in that direction' She explains and starts leaning to her left.

Soon we're circling so fast I know our grip won't hold much longer and I start hysterically laughing as I anticipate my fall.  
When it happens we're both left on opposite sides laughing our heads of and gripping our stomachs.

"Faith has chosen for us to circle the cornucopia" I say in an all mighty voice between laughs.

"Well let's not keep faith waiting then" She pushes herself up, wipes some dirt of of her and walks over to me, reaching her hand out for support.

"Yeah, cause so far faith has really been on our side" I mumble as I pull myself up. I know she must've heard me cause she squeezes my hand before pulling me into my fallen direction. She starts skipping, trying to lighten my mood and changes the subject "Let's look for some more food along the way. I don't think those strawberry pancakes will last me long" Her positive attitude must be infectious cause I soon start skipping beside her and so we begin our walk in this pretty little forest. Where wolves dressed as grannies lie wait in shadows.

It is relaxing to walk in this forest the makers have built for us. Cause it's beautiful, even more so after the heavy rain we have gotten yesterday. Though the ground is soggy and mud sticks to my boots making it impossible to walk silently. It's well worth it for the way the leaves glisten in the sun and the smell of wet grass that fills every breath of air. The only thought that ruins it all is the knowledge that the game makers made it all. That there are dangers in every rock, leave and stream. It makes me all the more angry, that they can make something so magical and ruin it with death.

I look over at Carlee to see she has no such thoughts. She's simply enjoying her surroundings, I guess its different for her since she's never been in nature.  
See, she comes from the science district and says it's only concrete and metal there. She'd never even saw a tree for real before these games and though I want her to enjoy it, I'm also afraid it will make her forget the threat that hides here. So I'm on extra alert, letting her enjoy it all while I listen to every crack of twigs or wush of leaves.

There for I pick it up right away. Stretching my arm out as to stop Carlee in her tracks and pushing my index finger to my lips.  
The sound continues in a endless plea, only stopping to catch breath. It takes a while for me to figure out what the sound is. But Carlee has figured it out before me and starts running towards it.  
I quickly try to grab for her but my hand only comes up with air.

"Carlee!" I hiss as I pursue after her. Oh no. Why is she doing this? She knows these games, she knows not to trust anything you see or hear here. And now we're both going to die. Cause there was no way that I was not going after her. I nearly reached her when she came to a abrupt stop and had to lay my hand on her back so I wouldn't crash into her.

"What the -" I can't even finish my sentence cause what lays before my eyes catches all of my attention. My blood must've stopped streaming cause I feel paralysed for a awful second before adrenaline comes rushing back in together with coherent thought.

"Carls, back down slowly now." I whisper to her as I take her left hand in mine and start to try and pull her back with me.

She doesn't even budge, she just stands there. Eyes wide and blank, staring but not seeing, seeing but not understanding and then finally. She catches her breath while her right hand slowly goes to cover her mouth. As if taking a pose for the moment to be captured on photo. She takes one step towards the boy and I take one step back, still holding her hand.

"Carlee!" I hiss at her again, hoping I can get her attention this time.

The boy makes a loud wet coughing sound, trying to catch some breath I guess. And that's it, Carlee pulls away from me and stumbles over towards the boy.  
Her hands fluttering over his body not knowing what to do.

I can't help it now, I have to look closer. Seeing what is really there, feeling myself going into shock at the scene before me.

The boy is hanging from a great big white barked tree, which makes the red dotting on the bark even more dramatic looking, only instead of rope he's hanging by his intestines. Wrapped around his neck two times and then knotted to a branch. I never knew our intestines were that long. One eye is loosely hanging by it last nerves and akwardly dangles against his cheek. My mind quickly wonderes what the intestines are doing outside of his body, so my eyes slide over to his stomach. Where a violent looking gap slowly empties his body from blood. Other organs are slowly trying to slip out of the gap but Carlee is now trying to close it with her hands, trying to stop his blood from flowing out. With her other hand she fumbles against the intestines around his neck but they're to soaked with blood and other bodily fluids so her hand keeps sliding of them.

A rock sits on the edge of the tree, covered in blood and I know that must've been the object responsible for the gap in his stomach.

Slowly realisation hits, this is not a dream, the boy is not dead yet. Surely with these wounds he wouldn't last long after they were conflicted upon him.  
So who ever must've done this to him must still be near, maybe even watching us now.

My head quickly jerkes to Carlee, who is still trying to get the boy loose. I run over to her grab her blood covered hands and pull her out of this place. Hoping I don't run right into the killers arms.

She struggles and screams and calls me names but I don't care. I tighten my grip on her knowing it must be hurting her and keep dragging her through the forest as quick as I possible can.  
We've just barely made it a few metres away from the boy when I hear the faint thuds of approaching footsteps. My heart pounds in my chest as hysteria strikes through.

Oh no, he's coming after us, we're next. I was really not looking forward to a painfully, slow, tortured death. And dear sweetness my Jake won't be able to handle seeing it.  
With those thoughts I become even more aggressive in getting Carlee and me out of here, so my grip tightens around her even more.  
When she stumbles or falls I simply jerk her back up and drag her after me, sometimes not even giving her enough time to fully get back on both her feet. It's harsh I know, but the only thing on my mind right now is our survival.

As we begin to get a faster pace I can hear our pursuer gaining speed as well and I know that he will reach us soon. Not willing to give up I keep up the struggle, sweat seeping out of every pore of my body. Dripping down my back and between my breast, making darker patches on my green tank top.

Carlee is struggling less and less, whether this is because she knows we're in danger or that she is simply to busy trying not to get dragged across the floor I don't know, but I am ever thankful.  
Not that this means that we can out run him cause he is getting closer by the second and I can already feel my muscles trembling in protest, thankfully adrenaline keeps them running for now.

I'm nearly ready to give up, to just fall down and let death come. When the steady thumps of the footsteps stop, continued by sounds of a crash. I can't really hear exacly what is hoing on and francly I don't really care. He has stopped his persued after us so I gather the last of my strength and continue our escape as quick as we are both capable of.

After a few minutes I can feel my heart beat in every inch of my body, my mouth has run dry and I can feel my muscles protesting my every step as they burn like acid needles . I slow down to a walk, never letting go of her hand. I know that she is going to be pissed at me, even though I just saved her life.

I finally stop walking all together and let go of her hand, walking over to a tree to lean against. I fall forward leaning my hands on my knees and try to catch my breath. I hear her footsteps coming towards me and see her feet in front of me before I look up. She raises her hand as if to slap me but stops in mid motion and then suddenly starts crying hysterically, letting herself fall down and cradling her face in her hands as she does

Shit, this was not what I was going for, I wanted her to yell and scream at me. Call me names and yes maybe even let her hit me. But not this I can't see her break down like this, it tears my heart open to be in the face of such pure sadness.

I let myself fall to the ground, still leaning against the tree for support that I can't seem to find in myself. I stretch out my hand as to comfort her, but when she feels my touch she cringes away and starts crying even harder. Feeling tired and useless I let her cry it all out, hoping that that will be it. That we don't need to talk about it, that we can go on as before. That hope is shattered when she finally starts screaming at me.

"How could you! How could you just leave him like that! We could've saved him! We could've -" Words transform into sobs and more tears slide down her face.

"I-I- It was- We had to" I stumble back to her not knowing what to say and if she is even listening. "Carls Hey freckles" I say as I try approaching her again, curling my arm around her and pulling her towards me. At first it seems like she finally let's me comfort her but then the loud bang of the cannon echoes through the trees and she wrenches herself away from me.

"Don't call me freckles! I hate it when you call me freckles!" I can't help but smile back at her, thinking our fight is over and things soon will return back to normal.

"Owh come on Carl, everything will be okay" I lean towards her again planning to give her a hug and a kiss on the head.

"No it won't! Stop lying to me, things won't be okay. I can never go back now, not ever what we've just done. I hate you Melody! I hate you for what you are and for what you have done!" she pushes me away hard and I fall back against the tree. When I look back up she has gotten on her feet and is running away.

I get up, knowing I need to run after her but when the ground beneath me starts to violently shake my tired body disagrees and I'm back on the floor before I know it.  
What's with the constant earthquake's? This one felt a little to close for comfort though. So I muster all the strentgh left in my body and together with some adrenaline I manage a slow jog after her.  
Of course she is tired to so I'm not that far behind her, however her body is driven on emotion and mine is not. So sometimes I lose track of her.  
I catch a glimp of the black shiny material of her jacket and jog towards it.  
At first I think she's standing still cause she is just tired but when I step closer to her I see that there are three other people with her, surroundings her in half a circle.

"Well, well, well what do we have here? Looks like we have found ourselves another one" The tall blond one says as he measures me up with his eyes. "It seems to be our lucky day Daemyn"

"So it seems." The other guy with the darker hair says showing no kind of actual interest and looking kind of bored.

"Come on, just get rid of them already. I'm not in the mood for games." The female who stands next to the blond one says.

Though I haven't really paid much attention towards my other contestants during the pre-game events, it's obvious that their careers. Which is odd since careers normally form a group the first few days of the game. All of them, not just three.

"Now don't think so selfish, my dear. I know we've been having allot of fun but maybe our friend Daemyn would like to have some too." The blond one turns his head towards his darker haired friend but I can see that he doesn't completely shifts his whole focus of of us. Though it's obvious we're no threat.

I step closer towards Carlee and hold her right hand, pulling her back some what. The blonde one immediately looks back at us and I can't help but freeze while I stare at the huge chainsaw that hangs from his waist.

"Y-you can t-t-take me." I stumble quietly, hoping I can get Carlee out of this situation. "j-just let her go... please"

The dark haired one exhales exasperatedly. "No thank you, I like my girls with a little bit more... spunk" Though his words are dismissive, his body turns more towards us now. As if he is finally bored enough to enter this event. Let's just hope he doesn't end it.

"Yes, they do seem rather... spooked don't they" The blond turns his full attention towards us again and narrows his eyes down to Carlee. "So tell me, are the shivers that corupt her body for our sake? Or has something or someone else caused your shirt to soak with sweat?" The darker haired one cautiously gazes behind us while the blond continues to stare us down.

"We just-we got into a fight, with each other and she ran-I ran after her and and well" I stammer as I try to dodge telling him the actual truth. Afraid that they might force us to take them back there, to that blood awfull scene.

"Right so who's blood is on your friends hands then? Is it yours?" The darker haired one says never dropping his gaze from the looming forest behind us.

I look over at Carlee, who's been quiet this whole time, and I can see her mind recapturing the picture that made the stains on her hands. She starts to shiver more intensly and squeezes my hand a little to hard. I can already feel the veins in my hand protesting their sudden lack of blood flow. But I just stay still and try to think of a believable reason for the blood.

I can see the girl giving the blond a impatient look, like she can't understand why we're still talking and not just killing us right this second.  
"Come one, they're not gonna tell us anything. She knows they're dead if they do and dead if they don't." She steps closer to the blond and lays her hand on his arm. "Just kill them honey" She says in the sweetest voice she can muster.

"What's the rush dear? Can't handle a little competetion?" The blond smiles at her dispense.

"What competetion" she grumbles while jerking her hand back.

"Besides, Daemyn and I haven't killed anyone yet. Let us enjoy our first and prelong this moment. You know like foreplay" The blond winks at her and she glares at him in response. "That's bull" She snares back.  
"What is? You don't enjoy foreplay?" He mocks back at her "You have killed before, remember sponsorship?" She raises her eyebrows obviously frustrated that he doesn't remember.

"Pfff she didn't count." The darker haired one interveins, finally satisfied that there's nothing lurking in the bushes after us.

"Why not?" She snares back at him.

The blond let's out a heavy sigh "She just doesn't, you wouldn't understand. So just step back and let us handle this." He dismisses her as he turns his back on her completely. You can see anger rising in her as she clamps her hands into fist down her side but she just takes a few deep breaths and stays queit.

"Well, where were we? Ow yes the blood." He turns his attention back to us, I take a deep breath knowing what I have to do.

"She's wrong, I'll tell you what happened." I take one step forward releasing Carlee's hand. "I'll tell you, if you let her go."

I hear a growl and before I know it the darker haired one has Carlee clutch against him, his right hand pushed against her throat and in his left he's holding a sword that's pressed against Carlee's stomach.  
It all happened so fast I hadn't had any time to respond and I'm still in the same spot I was in when confronting the blond.

"I think your forgetting who's in control here little one. See, if we want to get any information out of you we just ask and you give. We don't do deals." He growls at me while tightening his hold on Carlee. She's so suprised that she didn't even scream when he grabbed her but slowly realisation hits and her body starts to protest this life endangering situation that she's in. Her struggles are pittifull and don't make any difference, he just pushes the sword deeper against her and she stiffles in response, letting out whimpering breaths as she looks at me in hope. Like I could possible safe her from him.

"No wait!" The girl suddenly interupts. The blond angrily turns around planning to smack her as his hand reaches in the air. "She's got my number" the girl continues, not even flinching at his raised hand.  
The blond stops in mid motion which leaves his hand hanging in the air as he turns to face Carlee. Suprise lighting his eyes as he zooms in on the red scarred 12 that's on her bare neck. Then he turns to the girl again and harshly brushes her hair away with the hand he was planning to smack her with only seconds ago, to reveal the same reddened scar on hers.

"Things have just got interesting" He whispers more to himself then to anyone else. He turns to the dark one with a smile that shows his teeth. "Told you it was our lucky day. How about we find ourselves some more weapons to play with." Somehow the smile doesn't lighten his features, it only seems to make him look more evil.

"Sounds like a plan to me" He lowers his swords and puts it back in it's sheath, pushing Carlee to the girl he says "Hold her will you, while we take care of the other one."

"Well, I guess this will be it for you." The blond simply says with that smile on his face as his hand goes behind his back. And some how I'm sure he won't come up with a puppy. I can hear Carlee whimper and I'm about to get ready to take of or try and fight back, which one I'm not sure.

"She's good with plants!"Carlee screams out "She provided us with berries and leaves and water from trees. She's really good at it." She beams a shy but proud smile at me and I give her a small smile in return. Feeling honoured that she is trying to safe me, though I know it won't do any good.

"We already have food and water, we don't need her as well." The girl hisses angrily. As she sees the two guys hesitating at their weapons. Probably thinking over this new piece of information.

"The Girl has got a point. Tell you what, you tell us what happened and we'll let your friend tag along as well." The darker haired one says as he turns back to face Carlee.

"Don't say a thing Carls! They'll kill me anyway. You just go with them okay." I say encourangingly, ignoring my survival instinct to say or do whatever these guys want.

"You know I can't do that." Carlee shakes her head and takes a trembling breath before she spills the truth. "We walked into.." she stops not knowing how to describe what she saw. But the blond mistakes her pause for hesitation and quickly approaches her.

"You have my word that she can come with us, unharmed. Atleast till the time we find your tree. And of all the things I am, I'm a man of my word, of honor" He holds out his hand and Carlee's trembling right hand shakes his. I know that she hasn't a clue what he just meant, about the tree part. Well atleast I don't, but I guess this is as much of a garanty on our safety as we are going to get.

"We saw a body, a on the verge of dying body to be more precise." I intervein, not wanting Carlee to remember the scene we walked upon only hours ago. "He was brutally tortured, hung by his own intestines." I say as bravely as I can, begging my body not to tremble, not wanting to show any signs of weakness. "I dragged her away and we got into a fight, she... she... has a hard time with death."

"Not death, Mel! Murder!" Carlee suddenly yells at me, her old anger rebursting. This is so not the time nor the company for this.

"That's it?" the girl bursts out. " That's what granted you safety, this is rediculious. Ofcourse your going to find murdered bodies around here. We're in the fucking hunger games for fuck sake."

"Woman, control yourself!" the blond bursts at her as he pushes her away before walking over to the dark haired one "What do you think?" He askes him, clearly respecting this guys insights.

"Well your fuck hole there does have a point; people tend to get murdered around here. But what's different is that he tortured the person intensely and then left him alive, so it seem he enjoys the torture itself more instead of the actual kill. Which is odd in a game with the soul purpose of killing each other off. That being said, maybe he did tend to kill the person but was interupted by two girls and simply didn't want to get noticed or take the risk of being outnumbered." He ends with a frown on his face, clearly not liking that he has no idea who this person is or what this persons intensions are.

"Seems we've found ourselves a true contestant, if only we knew who he is so we can hunt him down." The blond says also frustrated.

For a moment I think that they will ask us to lead them back to the place of the murder. But thankfully the dark haired one dismisses this idea.

"Well, no need to go to the body, it's probably been picked up by now. And besides we have new toys to find. Your on baby sit duty for the next... days or so." He grabbs for me and pushes me towards the brown haired girl and Carlee, who I try to hug as I approach her. But she dodges me and sets of after the two guys, still angry with me then.

Helene pushes me forward after them. "Come on, we've got a tree to find"

* * *

**As always Thank you for reading!**

**It's been ages since the last up-date I know.  
****But things are going well and we have less and less tributes with each chapter.  
We've got some amazing ideas in store and we promise that we will finish this story!**

**As for this chapter: I found it hard to present a strong friendship in just one chapter since friendships takes longer to develop.**  
**I hope you guys felt the connection between Melody and Carlee none the less.**

**Please let us know your thoughts - REVIEW :D**

**xoxo Miss-Almond**


	12. Chapter 12 The promise of a rose garden

Female District 8  
Name: Oceana Danvis  
Partner: Alive

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**The Promise of a Rose Garden**

The sound of the rushing river calms me. Oh, how I miss the sound of home, the constant pushing and pulling of the ocean. But I try not to think of that, try not to think of rushing water and the scent of salty air. I try not to think of the sound of the harbor and the smell of fish and seaweed. Because If I don't, if I just focus on the here and now it isn't actually all that bad.

Our newly retrieved backpacks contained nunchucks, snares, a water bottle, purifiers, shuriken throwing stars, kunai throwing knives and a rope made from hemp thread with two wooden sticks. I busy myself with the latter, looping the thread around the wooden stick and pulling it through the loops as I make a fishing net, whilst my mind wonders over the backpacks. Of course I was happy with our goody bags but something that Daichi had mentioned, shortly after opening and discovering the contents of our two backpacks, still bugged me. He was the one to immediately notice what was off, his backpack contained the bottle, nunchucks and snares. Which would seem logical since he was the one who knew how to handle snares and a nunchuck, and I knew how to make a fishing-net and how to use light throwing weapons. However my backpack was the one to contain the water purifiers, the tablets would be useless without a watter bottle and visa versa. And I couldn't help but wonder whether the gamemakers had done so to set us up against each other or to let us work together.

He could have easily chosen to trade his water bottle for some of my purifiers since he had an extra bottle which he had retrieved from the cornucopia. But instead he suggested we'd team up, I had agreed doubtfully since I didn't trust him completely but I knew I had a better chance if we were in this together and agreed to his proposal. And so it came that he was now scouting for wood while I was making the netting so we could fish. However he'd never linger to far from me; even now I could hear him walk around. I told him it was okay if he needed to search a bit further but he had refused saying he didn't want to take the risk of leaving me alone to be killed. As much as I would be uncomfortable alone, and enjoyed him around I couldn't help but wonder if he really cared for that. After all perhaps he just wanted to have someone to outrun when someone found us. Yeah the things he says, I think of them a bit too much sometimes. To be even more precise, I think too much about him in general sometimes.

As I try to force the young asian boy out of my mind, I hear him walk over and dropping the retrieved wood on the ground next to me. "Wow, you're really good at that." He says amazed.

I shrug and look up at him while continuing weaving the thread into a net. He is quite handsome, even in his ridiculous black karate costume. Poor kid having to wear nothing but wooden slippers in the forest. I was thankful for the outfit my stylist had chosen on. Army boots, brown army shorts that fell just over my knee, a black vest and a light brown hoodie. Good for warmth and comfortable, not like his clothing or the dress that girl from district 5, Willow had. An excuse for a dress which barely had any fabric, at the realisation that she had already passed I shiver and I decide to answer my new found friend.

"I've been doing this for as long as I can remember, nothing so special about it really." He just nods, he's not pushy for conversation, I appreciate that.

He takes a seat on the ground besides me, I can feel his eyes on me as he watches me make the net. His gaze makes me somewhat uncomfortable so I decide to explain to him what I'm doing. I even let him have a shot at the net making. He works slow but careful, making sure the holes equal in length and width and after about ten minutes, we are finished and heading for the stream we'd found earlier.

As I step out of the forest and towards the stream I am once again amazed by the beauty of the view. Behind the stream lies a large meadow filled with loads of different kinds of wild flowers. Red ones, yellow, purple and blue. So many different kinds of flowers that I have never seen, I only recognize daisies and roses here and there. Even from the other side of the stream I can smell their gentle sweet scent. The warm breeze lifts up the flower pollen; the midday sun making them visible as it drifts in the air. It is strange to see such beauty in such a place, but I'm happy for it cause it is another distraction. Helps me forget about why the both of us are here.

"Hey once your done flower watching how about you teach me some skills, fishing-girl." Daichi calls from behind me, dragging the net with him.

"Soon as you get out of those flip-flops and into the water, ninja-boy."

He lets his smile fall dramatically. "Their geta," he mumbles, "besides I think by now we have covered the whole Daichi's stylist is a retard thing." he continues as he takes off his wooden flip-flops and his socks.

I step into the stream first, the cool water rushing past my feet. When I find the bottom I am happy to find the water only comes to my knees. I roll up my pants a bit higher just to be sure and then walk away from the edge trying not to loose my grip on the slippery stones below. I like sand better, sure it feels dirty to walk in the muddy goo but at least you don't have the risk of falling then. In this case it wouldn't be too bad but if the current would be strong you'd be able to get pretty bad scrapes, from being pulled along the rocks. Something I found out the hard way, multiple times.

"Careful there are rocks." I say trying not to think about memory's. I turn around as he steps in, dragging the net with him.

The breeze plays with his hair as he makes his way towards me. His brown eyes squinting against the sunlight. "I'm a ninja remember. I think I should be able to handle myself around some rocks." He says grinning at me.

I am about to roll my eyes and tell him he should try being dragged 10 meters over pointy rocks sometime. But instead I grab his wrist as he slips backwards, but I have little grip on the slippery rocks beneath my feet and his weight is too much for me to pull back quick enough. So instead of helping him stay up, I am pulled forward with him.

Water splashes into my face, mouth and nostrils. My left knee hitting the surface with force. I pull my face up, supporting myself on my arms. I cough against the water that has greeted my lungs; and just when I wonder where Daichi has gone, his face surfaces up between my arms. His face stops barely an inch away from mine. I am stunned by the closeness of him as he gasps for his breath. His nose brushes mine; and apparently he only just now realises how close I am to him, as his eyes slowly meet mine and he suddenly doesn't seem so out of breath anymore. He is so close to me that I can feel his warm breath against my cold wet lips. My stomach tightens and suddenly I feel a desperate urge to press my lips against his, and run my hand over his soaked shirt. A blush creeps on my cheeks at the thought, I pull back and quickly stand up muttering something inaudible along the lines of sorry.

He stays seated, his cheeks stained pink, as he stares at the water that flows over his lap. Probably feeling uncomfortable. I can't help but wonder if he would have kissed me back. I can't help but hope he would have. I never seem to be able to get close to people, always pulling back. Then again this isn't the time to work on those issues I think to myself in the uncomfortable silence. After all we are in the games, no time to be melodramatic or fall in love, even with a ninja.

He looks up at me grinning, making me feel very aware of my appearance. I must look like a drowned cat with my soaked clothes clinging to my skin. But he doesn't comment on how I look, he just chuckles. "Guess I failed fishing 101, huh?"

Once again I am amazed at how this boy always knows how to make things fun and light again as I smile at his words. "To be honest I never expected you to make it. But I'll give you another chance, if you promise to try not to get the both of us drowned this time."

I expect to get a laugh out of him but instead his face turns serious as his eyes move down my body. "Your knee..."

"Huh?" I say looking down at my knee. I find a cut on my left knee blood slipping out of it and down my shin. "Oh it's nothing, it hardly hurts." And it's true I hadn't even noticed the cut when I fell.

"It's not nothing, here I'll fix it up for you." He says as he gets up and reaches out grabbing my hand. I want to protest, however the goosebumps running up my arm at the feeling of his hand over mine prevent me from doing so. He pulls me with him to the edge, on which I sit down. He grabs his red obi belt and unties it, his shirt falling open in the process. I can't help but notice his chest, not that he is very buff or anything, he has a slim build, however I can clearly see the form of his muscles underneath his wet skin. I shuffle uncomfortably in my seat on the edge and look to the side and watch the stream fade in the distant forest. Trying not to think about how his fingers brush my skin as he lifts my leg up and ties the obi around my knee. Pushing away the memory of being close to him and trying to ignore how my body reacts to his touch.

Since when had I become so weak for a boys presence. Never did I have this problem back-... Never did I have this problem, not that I was blind to the boys from my class but I never cared too much. Not enough to really get close to anyone anyway. But then again I also remembered how the kids from my class used to tease me. Not that they did that anymore they hadn't for the longest time. Ever since I beat Birmac's face so hard the poor boy couldn't speak properly for a weak due to the swelling in his face. But I guess you don't forget things like that, how mean people can be. Surely even this young boy before me could be as mean as that, even if he was sweet to me now, even if he seemed sincere.

"What's wrong, does it hurt?"

I glance at him, to find him frowning, most likely at my expression. "Nah it's fine, I was just... thinking." at that he only nods, not pushing the subject.

"So do I get to give it another go, or are you sure I won't ever be able to switch my hunting career to spend my days at sea with you?"

I chuckle slightly. "Well I wouldn't quit your job quite yet ninja boy but setting the net really is a job for two. So you can have another try, just promise you'll try to not get the both of us killed this time." I joke, sliding myself into the river again.

The fish eagerly swim into my net and thus after what I guess to be no more then two hours I am scanning the forest for anyone who might have noticed some of the smoke of our fire. It is a gamble to build a fire with the wood still not being completely dry but it is a gamble I am willing to take; if the gamemakers poisoned the river it could have infected the fish, I had only seen it happen once in the games to a 13 year old boy from my district. The memory of seeing the boy, literally, puking out his insides was enough to make me choose to risk a fire. If anything happened now at least my death would not come by the hands of the gamemakers.

"Done." I turn around and find him wrapping the baked fish in some kind of long leaves he found. "It would be best to leave the fire for what it is, putting it out will only create more smoke." He grabs the shirt of his karate outfit, which he had hung on a branch to dry and wraps it around his waist. Like I can really use the distraction of his bear chest right now. Then he grabs his backpack throws it around one shoulder and then throws me mine.

I catch it and put it on my back. "So where are we heading?"

Apparently pleased with my question, he grins, his eyes twinkling in the light of the fire and the midday sun. "Well I thought maybe we could do some flower watching since you seemed to enjoy the sight so much, plus the flowers grow quite high if we stay low we actually have a pretty good hide out."

I chuckle. "You seriously want to enjoy a day at the park right now."

He shrugs. "Why not, not like we have anything better to do, right?"

And so it became that I lay in a beautiful flowery field with a half dressed ninja next to me starring at the clouds and pollen drifting above us in the blue sky as if they were tiny fairy's. I let out a content sigh at the realization of finding this place and him.

"I could just stay like this forever you know." He mumbles to relaxed to pronounce his words properly.

"Uh huh." Is all I manage for an answer as I scratch my itchy wound. I drop my hand from my knee and relax again enjoying the sun warming my skin. It is silent for a while as we both enjoy the moment, until he speaks again.

"Oceana?"

"Hmm?" I drop my head and look at him. He is staring at the sky with a distant look. He bites his lip for a moment most likely searching for words or considering whether or not to continue. But my curiosity is peeked now so I can't help asking. "What is it?"

However his expression changes and when he looks back at me smiling I know he won't be telling me what was on his mind just then. "Tomorrow, I'll teach you how to set snares. We'll see how confident you'll be then fish-girl."

"Oh please, me and thread are like this." I say hooking my pinky's over each other as a gesture. "Did you not just see me rocking the whole net making just then? Hunting is kids game. And did you just call me a fish?"

He chuckles "Hey mind your words. It takes a skilled hunter to catch a turkey with bare hands."

"Why would you try to catch a-" I stop half way, "Hey! Don't try to distract me, if you think you can call me a fish and live to see another day, I've got one hell of a lesson for you boy."

He sits up and pulls up his eyebrow. "What ya gonna do catch me in your net."

"Your so dead ninja-boy." I threaten but before I even finish my sentence he is up on his feet ready to make a run for it. I want to get up aswell but as soon as I move my leg even a bit a sharp pulling pain shoots up from my left knee, only stopping about half way through my upper leg. I wince and grab my leg in response.

"What's wrong?" He asks in a suddenly very serious tone of voice, as I hear him drop down beside me.

I let out a small moan before getting a grip of myself again. The pain lessens as I relax my leg again. "Don't know, it hurts... my leg," I carefully sit up so I can examining the cut, "maybe the water was poisoned and the wound is getting infected." But as I brush away a wild rose plant leaning over my knee the pain shoots through my knee again and I let my upper body fall back to the ground again. The pain lessens again and I let out a relieved sigh, however my relief does not last long because when my eyes find Daichi's face my heart sinks. His face has suddenly become as pale as death and his expression clings somewhere between worry and disbelief. "Damn it!" I groan, "It's infected isn't it..." He just keeps sitting there staring at my knee as if it is my sentence. Then again it might as well be, I never stood much of a chance and if I am even able to fight off the infection I doubt I'll make it with the handicap of a weakened body.

Still in silence he reaches for my knee, and I only notice he touches it when the pain scratches under my knee and leg again, and the itch comes up again not just my knee but up my leg again a painful itch like a bad case of skin allergy when the skin is almost torn by scratching but it keeps on itching, however it is not my skin but it's under my skin where the painfull scratch lies over and in my muscles. His hand flies up to his mouth and if I didn't know any better I'd swear I could see his eyes watering up.

But then he turns his attention back to me again. He places his cool hands on my cheeks as if to make sure I pay attention to him, which I already was. But I don't mind it, his hands cool my cheeks which feel warm from the pain, and his touch brings distraction from the pain in my leg which seems to be settling again.

"Listen, okay Oceana? You are going to be fine, okay." He says in a tone which makes me wonder who exactly he is trying to convince here.

"Seriously ninja boy, there are better ways to tell someone their dead meat." For a second pain seems to slip through his features and I feel bad for making jokes at this moment, and I can't help the feeling of guilt, even as I lie here. "Besides perhaps my sponsors will send me some antidote or something." I say in a weak attempt to lighten the mood, but it is true there is always the chance of getting medicine.

He opens his mouth to say something his eyes shooting to my knee and back to my face again. I can see he isn't quite sure how to tell me something and my heart sinks at that. It must be bad, it must be so incredibly bad if he is this worried about me. So this must be it, dying of infection, of poisoning. Dying of poisoned water like that boy from my district I saw all those years ago on tv. Dying amongst roses and daisies. Dying in the company of a boy who I almost kissed when we fell in the river, a fall which has sentenced me to death.

My melodramatic thoughts are stopped when he speaks again. "I- it's not infected..." And normally I would feel relief but the worry in his eyes says anything but 'you're fine'. "I-I think... I think the..." He presses his lips together and his chest lifts slightly as he takes in a deep breath as if this will make what comes next easier to say. "I think the wild rose plant is eating you or something..."

I open my mouth but find myself not quite sure what to say to that, and find myself not quite sure if I even heard that correctly. Instead I push myself up to sit again and look at my knee. the scrape doesn't look too bad but the plant is still lying on it. My left hand trembles as it reaches for the end of my pants, I pull up the fabric to reveal my leg. My stomach turns at the sight of it, and I can actually taste something sour as a bit of acid comes up. It looks almost like a thick vein, beneath my skin, crawling up my leg further and further as I pull up the fabric. But no vein is so long and thick it branches out slightly and there are small balls... on the main branch which must be the buttons from which flowers bloom.

The corners of my vision grow dark as I almost pass out under the realisation of what is happening. My muscles give in and I fall back once again. My breath speads up and my heart beats in my chest like a drummer boy gone mad.

"I'm gonna pull it out." Daichi says quickly in a hopeless effort to calm my nerves. "I think..."

"You think?" My voice comes out high and out of breath.

"Well... we can't leave it in there that's for sure." He takes another breath, trying to calm himself again. "Listen it might hurt for a bit so-"

I cut him off, "It _might _hurt?" I practically yell at him. But I know there isn't another option, and I know that we have to get away from these monstrous plants as soon as we can. But honestly how calm can a girl stay when plants are growing in her leg.

"Look just- just bite in this okay." He turns and reaches for something. When he turns back he is holding the net and offers the rope of it to me.

All I can manage is a nod, and I open my mouth. He puts part of the rope in my mouth. It tastes like grass and mud from being dragged over the ground, not that it matters much nothing really shines out under the promise of having something pulled out of your leg all the way down from your knee. I inhale and hold my breath as I tighten my jaw around the hemp rope. I close my eyes tightly in the hope that it will all be over soon and we can get out of this rotten place.

I feel him putting a hand on my leg and I whimper in the knowledge of what is to come. However my whimper is caught off by my net-muffled scream as he pulls on the plant. I can feel the branches separating flesh from skin. The pain seems unbearable and my scream only stops for a second as my body almost forces up my lunch. I can feel how slowly the plant slides underneath my skin and out of the wound, the vines forcefully dragging in the little space between my skin and flesh. With a last forceful pull I am relieved of the pain and left gasping for air.

Although I feel like catching my breath the thought of another plant crawling in gives me the strength to scramble up from the ground. As soon as I stand my leg hurts again I try to pull it up and stand on one leg but as soon as I do pain shoots through the abused muscle of my upper leg. Daichi notices my struggle to stand and quickly grabs the backpacks throws them over his back and then comes to me. He puts my left arm over his shoulders bringing me some support and relief.

Yet again, we are close but this time the only reason for goosebumps is the fear running through my veins. The thought of what just happened the thought of one of those grose things creeping up inside my body makes my skin crawl and I am more then happy when he finally asks me.

"You okay to walk?" I notice how his eyes carefully study my face as if I might lie about being able to walk. Well to be truthful even if my leg was missing right now I would tell him I am fine. But I just want to get out of here, I need to get out of here.

"Yes." I say nodding my head a bit to enthusiastically.

I see the doubt in his eyes. Damn my enthusiasm. "You sure?"

"Daichi, please lets just get out of this place." Thankfully he understands my resolve because he just nods and starts walking trying to support me the best he can. Plants brush my skin as we make our way through the field and it fills me with a fear that twist my stomach.

It reminds me of my district, that fear. Like the time I had to dive to the propeller of the boat in order to fix it. There had been many jellyfish that year and that day the wind was coming from the land and so the sea was filled with them. As I sank down in the deep blue water I found my self to be surrounded by the boneless white creatures. The cold water did little to cool my nerves but I knew that even if they hurt me they could not kill me. A knowledge I don't have for these deceiving flowers.

Once we reach the stream Daichi drops his bags and helps me cross the water first. As soon as I reach the safety of the other side I pull my self on land crawling away from the plants, while Daichi turns to retrieve the backpacks he left on the other side. Almost frantically I crawl away struggling with mere meters, but it is not the pain that is causing my struggle, not for the most part anyway. It is the emotion suddenly overwhelming my body and my mind. Tears well up in my eyes and my breath wheezes as I in- and exhale. I am not even sure why I am feeling like this but right now I can't fight it. Right now I can't joke at Daichi about his flip-flops to push away memory's.

I am pulled up to sit. For a second I am frightened, but then I see Daichi's face through my watery eyes. "Are you-" He doesn't finish his sentence as I press myself against him, pushing my face against the crook of his neck as I weep. But he doesn't say anything, doesn't ask about my leg, or why I am crying. He doesn't even wrap his arms around me, he just sits there allowing me to get tears and probably some snot and drool on him.

And I cry, I cry because I was chosen, because I will never see my family again, because my father died so long ago. Even the kids at school who I don't particularly like I cry that I will never see them again. I cry for the ocean as well which I miss with all my heart. I also cry for the boy who lets his opponent get snot all over him, and I cry because I know that he will most likely not survive these games either.

And so we sit there for a while I sob like a new born baby, until finally it is gone. Every drop of emotion, frustration is gone and I am left feeling empty and very very awkward. And as I sit there now silent, with my face still burried in the crook of his neck. I am not quite sure what to do. The fact that I am so close to him that my lips are litterly touching his skin doesn't really help. Nor does the fact that I just wept like a child and got his neck covered with... tears mostly, throw in the fact that my face must look worse than a jellyfish that's been stranded on the beach for a week.

"Sorry." I whisper against his skin.

I feel him shrug slightly. "Don't be." It falls silent again. I cringe under the pain in my leg and in reaction he places a hand on my back, in a sort of cuddle way.

I pull back rubbing my face clean with my sleeves then I brush a clean part of my sleeve over his neck and shoulder. "You know... for a ninja you really can't stand the sight of wounds very well." I take a deep breath trying not to let the pain of my leg sound in my voice. "In fact I am starting to wonder if you are a Ninja at all."

He chuckles. "Me, Lie? How could you possibly get to that conclusion? Clearly me freaking out, was a carefully worked out deceiving plan to make people believe, I am not really a ninja. When in reality I am."

I raise a brow. "Oh please, you just say you're a ninja to impress all the girls."

"There is only one girl here you know." He jokes but as if he hadn't realised what he was saying yet his face suddenly freezes and his cheeks flame up. He opens his mouth slightly but nothing audible comes out. And I would break this awkward tension but I cannot think of anything cause my leg is hurting and him being all shirtless and saying that, once again doesn't help. And I know, in that moment he won't betray me. He could never be mean to anyone. I also know I will most likely die. And as I take this all in, why not? Because in the end it doesn't matter what happens, or how I die. So why not? Why not kiss him? Why not now, before the pain in my leg gets worse?

I feel a blush crawl on my cheeks as I think of what I am about to do.

"You know" a high voice from behind me suddenly says. I want to flip to my back, but Daichi already pushes me aside. He grabs his nunchucks in the same motion, and positions himself before me.

"What the.." Daichi mumbles and I think the exact same thing. Well that and a good amount of curse words to follow up.

"If you want to feel the girl up, why not just pay her?" The small child before us says twisting one of her orange curls around her index finger.

"What the are you, your not a tribute." Daichi says tentavily.

She chuckles and drops her hand from her hair, to her side. "Oh right, prostitution is illegal. Forgot about that." She continues cheerfully as if Daichi had not just spoken to her.

Daichi flinches for a second but then repeats himself, however his voice seems more demanding then before. "What are you?"

"Tell me," she says her voice sounding as if she is telling a good joke and about to burst out in laughter, "what is the punishment on prostitution in your district again Daichi."

What ever she is saying seems to entagenise Daichi because I can see his hand gripping his nunchucks more forcefilly and his muscles tensing.

"I'll give you a hint, it involves a rope."

"Shut up!" He yells at her.

"Wrong answer, it should have been punishable by death. You'd think, a boy in your situation would know such things." She sighs in disappointment. "Unfortunately the peacekeepers tend to be a little soft when it comes to these sort of iligal activities, I think we both know why."

Daichi shakes his head, as if he is trying to deny where this conversation is going. "What did you do to her?" His voice is now vibrating with emotion.

The child seems unimpressed by Daichi's anger as she raises her index finger making a no gesture as she moves it from left to right. "Na ah ah, I wouldn't do that if I were you." She drops he hand once again.

"Daichi..." I say tentatively. I might not know what is going on; but I do know we would be best to take her word for it and not attack her. The Gamemakers seem to have put enough monstrous things in this arena already. If I had almost been killed by flowers undoubtedly this child could do us great if not more harm. However me pleading his name doesn't seem to quite do it cause he yells again.

"What did you do to her?"

She giggles in a cute manner. "Ohw, you silly goose, _I _didn't do anything. I'm just here for the games." She leans to the side and looks at me. "Hey there, sorry for not introducing myself properly I should mind my manners more carefully." She pulls her hand up and waves. "I'm Madeline, and it is so nice to meet the both of you here."

Unsure at how to response I just focus on Daichi again but when I open my mouth to tell him to stay calm he yells again. "What the hell did you do to her."

The child, Madeline, giggles again. "Like I said, _I_ didn't do anything. But don't worry both your mother and sister have been dealt with accordingly."

Before Madeline's words even make sense to me Daichi spins the nunchucks in his hand with force and skill and smashes it through her head. Through, right through her as if she were a ghost. For a second the three of us are completely still not moving an inch, but then the girl's eyes grow wide in fear and shock. Her hands turn to small fists by her side, she opens her mouth and pain shoots through my head and ears.

The sensation is so awful it takes me a second to even realise that it is the child's piercing scream that causes the immense pain. I fall back on the ground my fingers digging in the damp earth. In my peripheral vision I see Daichi fall over and crawl towards me. The sound is so high and loud and painful. I feel the vibrations in my chest, my skull, even my nails seem to hurt under the high pitched tone. I press my eyes closed against the pain when I feel hands on my ears. I open them to find Daichi to be the one trying to protect me against the girl's strange but successful weapon.

Even with his hands on my ears I can feel the sound scratching on the inside of my skull and chest, it is so awful that at least for a moment I am distracted by the growing pain in my entire leg. Tears roll over Daichi's face as he presses his hands against my ears with force.

Why, why would he try to protect me so much when clearly I am as good as dead in these games? How does this young boy even find the strength and courage to do this after what he just heard, to even try and keep me safe?

Something red drips down his chin and my eyes follow the small red stream to find it coming from his ears. I gasp, at least I think I do I cannot hear anything amongst the piercing scratching volume coming from Madeline's throat.

And then it stops, however I can't hear anything above the high pitched ringing in my ears. "Is she gone?" I ask not hearing my own voice. I think he read my lips because he looks back and then pulls his hands away from my ears. He stares over me, blankly looking into the forest. His mouth hangs open slightly as a gasps for breath, tears still silently slipping down his cheeks. The ringing in my ears resides, leaving me only with pain in my leg and a boy who has just heard something so awful.

And I want to say something to him. Anything at all, but what could I possibly say to someone who has just heard what he heard. So instead I drag my hand over to his and take it in mine I squeeze his hand a bit and he looks down at me. Then his gaze travels down over my body to my feet and back up again. His mouth trembles with unspoken words and then he falls over burying his face in my belly I expect him to weep, but he screams. He screams at the top of his lungs his muscles tensing in the process.

I feel a sharp pain in my chest at the sight of him hurting so much. Like someone just stabbed my heart, even the pain in my leg seems bearable compared to this feeling beneath my ribs. Because if anything this boy does not deserve it. Daichi who chose to team up with me, who did not dare to linger from my sight even if it meant using less dry wood for the fire, the boy who protected me even if I would die. It rips my heart apart but I don't cry. I just lay my other hand on the back of his head and run my fingers through his hair, hoping it will give him at least the slightest bit of comfort. When his scream dies out he inhales sharply and screams again, shorter this time. And he screams and he screams his tears and breath slipping through my shirt on my skin. I just rub the back of his head and clench my jaw against the pain which is spreading to my hip and toes now.

Time passes and when his burned down throat stops wailing the sky is slowly turning pink and the pain almost unbearable pain is crawling up my hip and butt. He pulls himself up, his eyes flamed red and his features show nothing but pain and numbness by now. He looks down at my face.

"I- I'm sorry." I say trying to hide the pain in my voice as best as I can, not wanting to draw attention to myself at this moment.

He doesn't react for a moment. So I decide to stay silent until he speaks again. "I'm sorry I-" His voice cracky and hoarse from screaming, and slightly out of tune. "I- I can't... I can't hear you."

If it hadn't already my heart breaks right there. If the boy ever had any chance of survival it had been taken now. Taken because he chose to protect me over himself. Because he tried to keep me from hearing the girls scream even though I am as good as dead. Guilt runs through my veins and I take a deep shaky breath trying to calm myself.

"Y-your leg..." He brings his hands to his mouth as if it hurts to say the words. "Y-your...it..." He sighs and drops his hands away from his mouth. Then he bends over me and slips his hand underneath my back and pulls me up to sit. I can't help it, even though I feel bad for being weak when I should be strong for him, I can't help the scream that escapes my throat. I hear birds fly up their wings flapping as they go in search of a less noisier place for once and for all.

But unlike the birds he doesn't notice my scream, instead he presses his mouth to my ear and starts whispering sorry's in it. It makes me feel only worse that he believes it to be his fault. "I'm-sorry-I'm-sorry... I- I made you hurt your knee I took you to the field... I- I'm sorry... I didn't mean to I-"

"No, no" I say even though he cant hear me as I shake my head. He however seems to understand my gesture. And stops his apologies and looks back at my leg.

The veins have spread beautiful big roses have found their way out of the wound on my knee and greet the sun, as if they were but mere innocent flowers. My skin stains red from irritation allong the lines of the veins. Here and there I can see were buttons lay under the skin, that the skin is starting to stretch beyon its limit. Those gross, digusting, plants underneath my skin. I feel them painfully, slowly, finding their way up to my belly. And I can't stand it any more.

"Take them out... please just- just-" I whimper. He just looks at me with confusement and I realise he can't hear me. So I take his hand and lead it to my knee.

His eyes grow wide at my gesture and starts shaking his head. "Please..." I plead again. And either he read my lips or saw the plea in my features because he nod and pulls on the flowers on my knee. Pain, one nothing compared to that which I felt before spreads through my leg and belly. I can only scream in reaction as I feel the plant growing faster in up my belly with unbearable speed.

"Stop!" I manage to scream but he can't hear my plea and continues. And I can feel the skin above the flower buttons rupture underneath the sudden quick growth of the plant. He stops at the sight of it and I look down to see the damage.

Flowers pop up from underneath my skin, blooming in bloody, beauty. The blood glistening in the ebbing daylight. But once I feel one pop up from the skin off my belly I fall back again.

Daichi pulls up my shirt to my chest with his bloody hands and pulls at the flower red soaked petals fly up in the air above me as he loses himself in the effort to safe me. I scream there is nothing else I can do. As he rips more and more flowers out of my legs and belly. I feel the vines growing and crawling gripping and circling my ribs, digging deeper and around places in my stomach, my intestinses, my lungs. Flowers burst out of my stomach, blood slipping out of the wounds and dripping down my belly to my back. Turning the damp soil underneath my back into sticky mud.

I heave. Sour, bloody, puke spilling out of my mouth and slipping down my cheeks and into my hair. Through my teary eyes I see petals and red stained vines fly up in the air and drift down in horrid beauty.

Something inside me changes as I realise I will die, or perhaps as shock finally settles in. My muscles relax, the pain distances. Or better said it feels like I distance my self from my painful and torn body. Daichi screams in frustration, finally submitting to the inevitability of my death.

"Please don't... please don't... I- I need you." He whimpers. "I- I c-can't... I can't do this alone."

Again I feel the urgent deep need to speak to him. But this time I realise the answer to this problem as well. And with all the strength in my body I force my hand over his. He takes it but I pull back slightly. He opens his hand and in the palm of his hand I place my finger and tell him what I want to. My shaky finger drawing letters on his bloody hand.

When I am finished I feel so tired, so tired of this painful beyond save-able body. And I close my eyes the effort it takes to see becoming to much for my weak body to bear. I hear him whimper in response but I am to weak to react. And beyond his whimper I hear the rushing of the water in the stream. Slowly it turns into the sound of the ocean pushing and pulling against the hard structure of the land, with in the back the roaring of waves crushing into each other. And as the scent of salt greets my nostrils I remember that boy again. That boy and the words written in his palm.

_I love you, my ninja boy._

_

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_

**First of all I would like to deeply apologize to Oceana and Daichi. I honestly feel bad for writing the last sequence even though they are but figures of my and M-x-M's imagination.**

**Secondly I want to know what you guys thought of this chapter.  
-What do you guys think of Oceana's character and her character development throughout the story****  
-What did you think of the pairing Daichi Oceana  
-I have never written fluffy things, so how was that written  
-How was the gore written, as much as I love reading gore I found it hard to formulate it properly this was also a first time for me writting that so I'd like your opinion perhaps points for improvement  
-What do you guys think of the ending, is it too sugary with the whole ocean thing and the message to Daichi, I was doubting to write it like this but I just felt bad for her so I thought I'd give her at least that  
-Was the story too long, if any tips on how I keep it from becoming too much of a drag to read perhaps**

**Well I hope you guys enjoyed reading it as much as I loved writing Oceana. Now go on and click that review button to make my day ^^**

**Stravvberry**


	13. Chapter 13 Love is a arrow

Thane  
Male district  
Partner: alive 

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**Love is a arrow**

The sobs of the little girl is the only sound I hear as Ashton and I lean against a tree. We aren't going to sleep yet, we're just having a break. I watch the girl agitated, silently blaming her for everything. The girls feet are covered in swollen, reddened scrapes and bruises, for which I can't help but be glad over. She must've lost her shoes some where along the way. Or maybe she hadn't had ones on to begin with, I'm not sure. She silently rubs her hands over her feet while whispering something between sobs. I'm not even interested to try and listen to what she's saying. It seems like she is always crying or moaning, it's down right depressing. Can't she just deal and shut the fuck up already?

We aren't even the worst hostages around, I'm sure. Yes, we have ripped a piece of her dress of to tie around her neck so we can hold it. But this is more so that she knows she's not going anywhere. We don't even hold it half of the time, between me and Ashton she's not going anywhere we don't want her to. But Ashton is determined to keep her fed and hydrated even though she knows I think we shouldn't. 'If it means finding my tree quicker and there by getting my weapon we can spare some food' she always lectures. Which is my point exactly, I am in no hurry to get anywhere near that tree.

I've been thinking this little problem through, the appearance of the little girl I mean. Am I happy with it? I don't think I am.  
See as far as I'm concerned there are only two options now; find the tree and then kill Ashton and the girl leaving me with whatever is in the tree. Or kill them both now and find my own tree.  
Now the first option seems more profitable but it has a surten risk to it. If we find the tree there will be weapons involved in the fighting.  
I know there will be a trident in there since that is Ashton's specialty, however Daemyn and Erix both got two weapons so she might get two as well and I have no clue to what this will be or what little miss period will get.  
Now I'm pretty good with a trident though the balance might get me off a bit since I've trained more with a spear. Problem is Ashton seems to be terrifically deathly with one, not only does the 9 that she got from the game makers prove that, it was also a well known fact in our district.

"You know" she suddenly speaks "It's weird that we never really hung out together in our district. That we have to meet here, in this game." she always says something similar to this. Touching the subject why we didn't speak to each other before and what a shame it is that we only just got together here. She can be such a girl sometimes.

I hate it when she starts the subject cause it means I have to watch my tongue and really think about what I'm going to say. The truth is that she's kinda a freak back in the district. I mean she had some friends if you could call them that, she just always seemed to think she was better then everyone else. Which isn't so bad since I often think the same thing. But thinking it and showing it are two different things entirely. Her being buffer then most the guys there didn't help her much either. People were just scared and stayed away. Not that I was scared but I just wasn't interested.

A silence spreads, filled with the soft sobs of the girl which seems to make the silence even more drastic. I know she's expecting me to say something sweet or reassuring but I can't really think of anything that would sound sincere. So I go for a close truth.

"I don't really mind that we've met each other here. It means that I can get to experience these games with you right?" I look her in the eyes while my left hand grabs her chin, trying to be romantic and all. But when I see a slightly disturbed look on her face I know I've said the wrong thing.  
"It's just- I mean, we've both been working so hard for these games. I know it's the most important thing in my life and I bet it is in yours too. I just like sharing this with you." She still looks doubtful as if she's trying to decide whether my words make any sense, I'm not even sure they do.  
"Sharing the most important experience in my life with the most important girl." I try as last resort, hoping for the best. A smile spreads on her face and she slowly leans in to give me a long kiss.

She breaks of leaving me hanging before she let's out a heavy sigh while she walks over to the girl.  
"How are your feet?" she asks towering over the girl. She doesn't answer however and Ashton reluctantly squats down to the girls level.  
"Emerald, can I get you anything? You want some food or water? Cause you know we really need to get going. We only have a few more hours before dark and you don't want to walk in the spooky dark forest do you?" She always puts on this bitter sweet tone that almost makes me gag when she tries to get through to the little girl. Like somehow that will make her seem less frightening.

The little girl just shakes her head probably not even hearing what Ashton is offering her. She keeps rubbing her dress like somehow that will make those disgusting blood stains magically disappear. Honestly I was kinda shocked when we first saw her like this, but who wouldn't be. This little tiny girl all dressed in white covered with weird blood marks on the back of her dress. We soon realised, or well Ashton did, that she was having her period, how sweet. As soon as Ashton realised this and saw the mark on her neck she kinda took her under her wing. I don't really know what the problem with girls and having their period is. It's just a bit of blood for fuck sake. I have bloody noses from fights all the time, you don't see me whining like a bitch about it.

I'm not even sure if the game makers give the girls some kind off cure for this or not. I've never seen a girl having her period before in the hunger games, since it's not the prettiest sights to see. Kinda like why they take the bodies away, to prevent people from eating them. It's just something people don't won't to see. So far nothing has been offered to the girl though.

Even though the girl shakes her head Ashton takes her water bottle out of her backpack and hands it over to the girl. She takes a shaky sip before handing it back to Ashton. "You alright now? To walk I mean? Just for another hour or so, then we'll find a place to rest for the night okay?" She continues in this bitter sweet tone., the girl nods weakly. Ashton straightens up before saying  
"I'm going for a piss"as charming as ever and leaving me alone with the girl.

I watch her sob, finally giving up on rubbing her dress clean. I can feel the beginning of a new plan starting to form on the edge of my mind but I can't quiet put my finger on it yet. I decide if the girl get's to drink I'm as much entitled to a sip as well. As I let the water slowly slip in my mouth the thought makes itself clear. I nearly spurt my water out that's how stupid I feel. Cause it has been so obvious the whole time. I don't have to kill Ashton, well not yet anyway. I could just kill the little girl instead. Ashton won't be able to get to her weapon when the girl isn't here.

The girl cringes as I stare at her in amazement, like she can read my thoughts and knows her end is about to come. I can't kill her right now though, Ashton wouldn't like that. I will have to make it look like a accident or something. I mean accidents happen all the time, especially in these games. Where are those evil demon bunnies when you need them?

Ashton returns from her bathroom break and I try to smooth my face so she won't notice anything different about me.  
"What's up? She asks smiling first thing she looks at me. Guess I didn't smooth my face as good as I thought I had.  
"Nothing! Why should there be?" I blurt out way too quickly.  
"You just seem... happy" She suspiciously walks over to me, this playful little smile on her face.  
"Just happy that your here." I quickly recover myself as I wrap my arms around her waste and pull her towards me, biting her neck the way I know she likes.  
She giggles which is a odd thing to hear Ashton do. She must really trust me to let me see this side of her I think to myself as my mouth slowly turns to hers and we engage in a long kissing session. I got to give her that, she's not what so ever shy about making out in these games. Girls mostly feel uncomfortable making out with camera's or other people there. But not Ashton, she just does what ever she wants where ever she wants it. I will definitely be looking for that quality in the next girl I date.

"We should probably go." She whispers between kisses. "Probably" I answer back, my mind so totally not thinking of going anywhere right now. My hands slowly slide down to cover her butt and I can feel her smiling as I softly squeeze them, making me squeeze them even harder. She roughly pushes me backwards making me fall against a tree as her hands start pulling at my shirt so she can slide her hands over my six pack. I'm so used to this now that I'm always waiting for it to happen. Girls just can't seem to get enough of my killer abs. I'm so worked up and ready by now that I've completely forgotten that that little brat is still there. But she rudely makes herself known by suddenly coughing really loudly. This doesn't really change anything for me and my hands are already going up to unzip her green sweater. When she breaks off the kiss and let's out a frustrated sigh, biting her lip as she turns around. "What?" she snares out, obviously frustrated. The girl mumbles something inaudible pissing Ashton off even more. "Speak up, Emerald! I can't understand foolish little girl mumbles." The girls eyes grow wider as she realises she just angered the person who was actually keeping her alive. "It's just that shouldn't we get going?" She says almost in panic. Ashton turns back around towards me, I'm still leaning against the tree, aroused as hell. It's so fucking unfair that girls can just break it of like that. They should make a rule or something about it. What am I suppose to do now?  
"She does have a point." I can see on her face how much she is enjoying this, her eyes slide down and she stifles a laugh. "Come on Em, we'll leave Thane here to cool of a little." she suddenly seems to be in a better mood and makes her way through the trees, the little girl trailing after her.

I groan and hit the tree in frustration, so unfair it is. But I'll show her, she isn't as irresistible as she think she is. It's not like I've never been in this situation before, just think puppies and stuff. Or my mom, yeah that always seem to do the trick. I follow behind them and start thinking about my little plan from earlier. How I need to kill the little one but make it seem like a accident. I can trip her when we walk near rocks or pretend to trip myself landing on top of that snappy little neck of hers.  
I need to be careful though, Ashton is no air head, she'll suspect something if I don't be careful. I catch up with them and give Ashton the best 'I'm not up to something' smile I can manage.

We walk quietly, as we always do. None of us are the kind of people that feel the need to fill every silence with a word. Well maybe the girl is but she knows better not to. It's the only time in the games that I find my peace, that I can be myself. Cause if I don't talk I don't have to think about what the guy I'm acting like would say.  
A guy who actually is in love with Ashton. Sometimes when I think about what I'm doing -the times we walk- I kinda feel bad. Like I'm making a fool out of her.  
But then when I vision my dad's face in that moment I told him I wanted to enter the hunger games that feeling is soon forgotten. It's hard to believe that was only a year ago.

The splashing sound of water in a container ruins the ease of my thoughts and I look back to see that Ashton is yet again wasting are water to the girl. This has got to stop, I have got to stop it. "Hand me that will ya?" I say to the little girl as I approach her with my hand extended. Ashton passes me by as she continues just like I thought she would. Despite us clearly having the over hand here Ashton still won't leave the girl alone. She always wants someone beside her 'just in case the wind sets her flying' she always mocks when I yet again complain about how we are treating our hostage. It's clear by now that I have no say in this.

The little girl tries to hurry after Ashton when she has handed me the bottle. But I grab her wrist and turn her towards me so Ashton won't see if she looks back.

"Aw you've got the hiccups little one, here let me help you' I say as I watch Ashton closely, hoping she won't turn around. I put the water bottle to her mouth while my other hand forcefully covers her nose. 'come on drink up, my grandmother always used to say this helped' I whisper in her ear. Turning the bottle downwards so I know she has to swallow the water and won't find her breath. Her efforts to get under my grip are meek and futile. And I can already feel her body giving up as it tries to cough up the water. Her pale little face already turning red as tears built up in her big green eyes to finally loose their grip and slowly stream down her face. Totally distracted by the sight of death slowly creeping into her, I forget to watch for Ashton.

'Thane. What the hell do you think you are doing?' Ashton's voice suddenly barks in front of me. I immediately let go of the girl who dramatically falls to her knees and starts coughing way too loudly. I muster a big smile on my face trying not to look like a deer caught in headlights, not that I will ever look like a deer.  
'Nothing dear, just fooling around.' I scratch the back of my head trying to think of anything that would begin to explain 'She had the hiccups and my grandmother used to say drinking while holding your breath helps. So I thought I would help our little one here out. Seems she was a little to eager to get over those hiccups weren't you girlie?' I bend over and pat her on the back, she flinches though and I quickly retreat hoping Ashton didn't see. Not really feeling like continuing down this road I walk over to Ashton give her a peck on the cheek and walk on in the direction we were heading before this all.

The walk I normally find so relaxing is now filled with tension. I can feel Ashton watching me closely and never having the girl out of her sight. Not that that is very hard since the girl sticks to her like a fly to a window. I just try and walk as far behind them as possible, feeling like I failed dramatically and not knowing what to do next. No way Ashton will let me near that girl now, guess I will just have to do it old school. No sneaking around, upholding this facade. I'm almost glad, never really was my style anyway. Just sucks that it comes with such a big risk. If I could just get Ashton away from her one more time, I promise not to screw it up.

Ashton suddenly stops in her tracks, I look ahead thinking she has found a good place to spend the night. But when I see the uneven ground covered with little twigs and stones I know something else must be up. I can feel my muscles tightening as I think that I'm too late. I'm too damn late to off the little girl. Now I will have to go for the big one, before she will get to that tree. As if on cue Ashton nearly yells 'It's a tree! It's a fucking numbered tree!' I tense for a second, getting ready to attack, before she continues 'It's a 7 Thane, that means we're getting closer. The next one will be mine.' She turns around and almost skips towards me. She must've forgotten what happened by her enthusiasm cause when she reaches me she gives me this big hug and kisses me. Quickly recovering myself and switching off my combat mode my arms circle her waste and I join the kiss.

'I'm sorry babe' I whisper in my sexy voice 'You know how I am, I just wanted to have some fun. It's so damn boring without any weapons around here. I should think things more through, forgive me?' I put on my puppy dog eyes, the one I know no girl can resist and gentle stroke the lower of her back. She looks at me almost blankly at first but I can see the hope of wanting to believe me fighting against her better judgment. She hugs me again before saying 'Of course, I'll forgive you. Just don't do something stupid again, or I might have to kill you.' She bites my neck teasingly as she says the last part and I moan in return, lifting her up so she can wrap her legs around me. 'I promise I won't do anything stupid again.' Cause the next time it will work, the next time it will be you not her.

We walk a little while longer before we decide it's time to set up camp. We've found a good enough spot to spend the night. The ground still doesn't look very comfortable but we've got these high thick bushes on one side that offer a bit of protection. Ashton get's out some dried fruit and bread and divides them in 3 equal meals. Like I don't need more then the skinny little brat. But I shut up, smile and eat my meal not wanting to draw anymore negativity towards me.

Ashton get's the first shift, so I walk a bit away from them before making myself comfortable on the floor. Trying to fluff my backpack as if it's a real pillow.  
My mind can't seem to find rest at first, thinking about what I've got to do tomorrow. Trying to find another way around it, but always coming to the same conclusion; Ashton can not have her weapon. I can already feel sleep tugging on my shoulder, slowly blackening my view. The last thing I think about, the last thing I always think about is my father. His face when I'll get home to my district a winner.

I have the same dream I always have. It's not really a dream, more like a memory. Though it's completely different at the same time, dreams have a way of doing that.

The whole family is gathered at our huge glass dining room table. My mother and father both at the ends of the table while me and my three brothers are at the sides. My dad always wants us to eat together, he says it's what makes us a family. He had also said that he had a special announcement this evening considering Travick.  
Which kinda surprised us all considering he's the failure of the family, the one who never eats at the dining room table. The one who went against all my fathers and mothers wishes. The one who dropped out of school because he had to think about what he really wanted in life. But yet here he was, at the dining room table, like he was a part of this family.

I never really had liked him. But the one thing I thought he had done good was to leave. Cause that meant that I was the one who would follow in fathers footsteps. That I was one day going to be the head peacekeeper of district 4. I had been training for this ever since Travick had left, which was a good 4 years ago. My dad was planning to send me to the official peacekeeper training in district 2 as soon as I was 18. I couldn't wait.

So you can imagine when the words 'Travick is going to district 2 for the peacekeeper training so he can eventually take my head of position over' left my fathers mouth I was utterly and outerly shocked. Here was the guy who had put our family name through shame. Who I knew hadn't found anything other then drugs and girls in those past 4 years. And now he suddenly wanted to be part of this family. Just like that, with no training or actual desire to be a peacekeeper.  
The worst thing about this was the look on my fathers face when he had announced it. Like the prodigal son had finally returned.

So I stood up, desperate for my father to recognize me, to be proud of me to acknowledge me and said that I was going to enter the hunger games the following year. The smile that spread my fathers face brightened me, thinking I had out shined my brother. But when he said that he was so proud at both of us. A shadow crept over me, though I was going to risk my life he still held Travick as high as me, if not higher.  
That's when the weird dream part kicks in cause suddenly my whole family starts laughing hysterically. Like they're laughing at me, for how stupid I am. That I'm trying to outshine my older brother who has always been my fathers favorite. Even after everything that he has done.

I wake up with his heavy feeling in my stomach, as I always have after that dream. Shaking the last bits of the dream away I look around to find Ashton staring at me.  
I can't help the smile that spreads on my face. The girl has been my companion since the train rides. I'm bound to feel some kind of connection, it's only human. I justify to myself as I push myself up in a sitting position. 'What's up hun?' I ask her as her eyes still linger on me. 'You just seemed... restless. Did you have a bad dream?' She sure is smart. 'nothing you need to worry your pretty head about' I respond almost immediately, really not feeling like delving into the topic of my family.

'Is it my turn yet?' I get up and walk towards her, sitting next to her as I reach her and wrap my left arm around her shoulders. 'No not yet' She mumbles as she get's comfortable against me. 'You missed the anthem' She whispers, I just shrug, not really caring who died as long as I know the numbers. We stay like that for a while, me gentle stroking her arm and she places a kiss on my chest every now and again. It then suddenly hits me again, I have to kill this girl tomorrow, the girl that is resting against me so trusting. I swallow back saliva that seems to have thicken in the second. 'You should go ahead and sleep, I'm up now anyway.' I say as I nudge her towards my backpack. She get's up to look me in the eyes then turn to look at the little girl who is curled up in a ball at the bottom of tree before she nods, gives me a kiss and heads over to the backpack. We've made a point at not sleeping against each other. If a attacker would come it would be hard to spring into action when someone is asleep in your lap. So we give who ever is on watch space to do so.

I get up to stretch my legs and walk around a little, my gaze steady on the woods surrounding us. Trying to keep the thought at bay, the thought that I have to kill the girl who is asleep from me only metres away. That only brings a even more unwelcome thought, the one made so easy in this situation. As Ashton lies there so vulnerable, I can't help but think of it. Though I tell myself it's not a option, it's simply the way of a coward. It's also the way with the least risk and simply the easiest way to get this over with already.  
I look at her lying there, listen to the even pace of her breathing, this could be it. Just think of your family. I'm standing over her, a leg on each side, I gently squat down so I'm sitting on top of her, my hands already making a move to her throat when her eyes sleepily open, a playful smile on her lips. My hands find skin and I will them to squeeze, my mind working on auto pilot as I'm trying desperately to keep my emotions away. Just squeeze, I tell myself, just squeeze. Her eyes at first opening so soft turn into shock and then into action as she starts trying to kick and squirm. Her hands furiously hitting me everywhere. But it's useless my grip is tightening and her face is already getting red, my body not even feeling the punches she throws as it's filled with adrenaline. I keep looking at her all the way through it. Looking her in the eyes, trying to show her how sorry I am.

A sudden movement on my back surprises me and for a split second I loose my focus. It's enough to give Ashton a window to pull her leg from under me and she starts kicking her leg against my chest. As I realise it's the little girl that has leaped herself on top of my back, I quickly recover myself and try to harden my grip on Ashton's throat again. I'm surprised when I feel the girl pulling at my hair trying to rip it out by it's roots, I never imagined she had so much fight in her. I can see that this new development has give Ashton more... hope I guess cause she starts pushing against me with her leg even harder. Desperately trying to get me off her. I can feel that their combined effort is paying of as my knees slowly lift from the ground. I can hear the girl groaning in effort on my back and with a small yell she sinks her teeth into my neck. I can't help the cry that escapes my lips, wetness drips from my neck and it costs everything of me to not let go of Ashton and throw the girl off me. Ashton again takes advantage of my loss of focus and with one big groan she throws me off her.

Momentarily dazzled by the sudden change I lie there staring at the trees above before Ashton jumps on top of me, bringing us in the same position as before only both at the other end. The little girl who has some how managed to get off me before I had hit the ground sits on one arm, making sure her weight keeps it grounded. I immediately want to make sure that Ashton won't get hold of the other one but it's no use, she hits me in my right temple and tears fill my eyes involuntarily. She hits me again at the exact same spot, my eyes linger to her face. What I find there sets shivers through my body. I can see anger mixed with pain but most of all I see the resolution to kill me. My vision starts to blur and I can feel panic rising up in my chest as my mind can't seem to find a way out of this situation. I almost wish that she will hit me again, maybe it will knock me unconscious.

But instead I feel a splash of wetness on my face, confused I try to look what happened, but my vision is still blurred and all I see is the outlines of Ashton sitting on top of me.  
I hear the cry of the girl that is still sitting on my left arm and for a second I think that Ashton has turned against her. That's when my vision regains and when I start to feel a warm wetness spreading on my stomach. This must be it, she has killed me, I'm dying. I look at my stomach, sure I will see a rock or stick smashed into it. I'm slowly drenching in blood, but why is there no pain? I look up at Ashton sure she will have a smile on her face, a sad one maybe. Instead her hands are gripping her own throat and she's making this wet coughing sound.  
Blood seeping through her hands as her eyes stare at me in amazement and horror.

Not sure what to do and despite everything not wanting to be even more covert in blood as I already am, I push her off me. The girl crawls from my arm but I take no attention to where she is going. My eyes never leaving Ashton as she lets herself fall to the ground still making that awful wet coughing sound, though it sounds more like choking. Her hands finally leave her neck and she pushes herself up. That's when I see the point of a arrow sticking out of her neck, right below her chin. It was a smooth straight aim, making for a neat wound. It's just the constant stream of blood that makes the scene horrific. We're both still sitting on our knees when she stumbles over, still in shock I just stay still. She nearly reaches me, hands extended for what I'm not sure, when she falls against me. I automatically catch her, laying her in my lap as I look in her eyes. A small streak of blood has started to stream out of the corner of her mouth and for a moment I'm lost for words. 'I'm sorry' I finally mumble as I watch the life slowly drown out of her. She stares me blank in the face before she beckons me to come closer. I doubtfully bow my head to her mouth, not sure whether she wants to say something or bite my ear of. 'It wasn't you' She says between breaths, her voice barely audible. Whether she says this cause she doesn't want me to blame myself, take the honor for her kill or to warn me that the one who did is still out there I don't know. Her body starts to shake with fury, more blood oozing out of the wound and her mouth. That's when I decide enough is enough, I take her head in both my hands look her in the eyes, not sure if she can see, give her a kiss on her forehead before in one smooth move I twist her neck. Her body goes limp in my lap and I have to fight back the overwhelming grief that fills me. I get up, never looking back at her, not wanting to see her like that. The sound of the canon echoes not only through the forest but through my very own body. I know what I have to do, scan the surroundings, the person who did this is probably still out there and he or she will pay for killing Ashton.

It's ironic, moments ago I was busy killing her myself. But that's just it, it was me who was going to kill her, no one else. We were allies, we were lovers, it was my job to keep her safe against people who wanted to kill her. Problem was a small voice told me, they have got a weapon and you don't. I walk over to the spot where the person must've shot from, about half way there I hear a rustling of leaves. I can't immediately make out where it comes from and for a moment it seems all around me. So I look around me, relying on my sight more then my hearing. A red flash up in a tree tells me they are still here but it's to fucking full with leaves for me to see much else. Couldn't they have made a creepy, wintery forest with dead trees? It would make spotting some one around here the heck more easier. A thump makes me twist around towards where Ashton is still lying.

A skinny girl with hair as black as coal stands at the edge of our resting place, the hood of her dark red shirt pulled over. Her hands are stretched out towards the little girl, whom I had completely forgotten. I guess she was trying to sneak away.  
"Sorry, but I can't let you go" The hooded girl whispers "It will be more quick this way." She takes the girls hand and looks straight at me. That's when I snap back into action, I ball my fist and dig my feet into the earth, ready to charge at her. Her eyes widen in shock and she drops the little girls hand while taking a step back towards a tree. "Stop!" She yells at me "I'm not here to hurt you" Her words freeze me into place, still feeling the burning rage inside my chest and the need to avenge Ashton. But why would she make herself known like this. She seem so fragile, surely she most know that she's no match for me. Not like this anyway, maybe if she would shot a arrow out of no where. She must see the doubt in my face as I try to figure out what my next move will be. "Look" She continues as she drops her hood and strokes her hair out of the way to reveal the side of her neck. "I've got a 6 as well, just like you" My hand itches to reach to my neck, but I let it stay balled at my side. I have to think this through, problem is I never have been a fast thinker. My eyes edge to Ashton's body that is still waiting to be removed. Fuck it, she's dead anyway. I straighten out and let my hands relax, making sure she knows I'm not planning on attacking her. That's when the little girl decides to make a run for it. The red girl and me both look at each other before we start running after her.

Her red shirt whips after her as we make our pursuit, she quickly runs next to the little girl while I'm still trailing a little behind. With one smooth dive she tackles the little ones legs, both sprawling on the ground I jump over her to land on top of the girl. I instinctively grab her head and pull it backwards. I'm not sure why but I look over at her, she is already back on her feet and is watching us anxiously, with one firm nod it's over. I ready my arms and with one strong turn I snap the little girls neck. A canon goes off, the fourth one today, the games must've finally started.

I let go of the girls head and get back up on my feet. I wipe my hands clean on my pants as if that will erase the death they have just caused. The ground underneath our feet starts shaking furiously, this one must be near by. We both loose our barings and on our knees before we know it. What the heck is going on with this arena? When it stops we both get back on our feet, I can see she's thinking this through. Making pieces of the puzzle fit together. To be honest I don't really give a shit, I just want my fucking weapons. We stand in silence for a while both letting what happened sink in before she nervously starts to look around her. "I'm Thane" I interrupt the silence, trying to get on a good start with her as we obviously will travel with each other for the next day or two. She simply looks at my hand before going back to anxiously looking around her. "I know" She whispers. The sound of helicopters interrupts our little introduction. Her eyes widen and she starts to sprint back the way we came from, towards the helicopter. I run after her but when we reach the spot Ashton is already hanging in the air, being taken away towards her family. "Crap!" The girl yells in clear agitation. "What's wrong?" I ask curiously, wondering what the heck she wanted Ashton's body for. She looks at me suspiciously before shrugging "Nothing really. The name is Shatter, I'm from district 9 and I believe we share a tree."

* * *

Day 4:

4th  
Male district 12  
Ruhan Hemersby  
Deceased

5th  
Female district 8  
Oceana Danvis  
Deceased

6th  
Female district 4  
Ashton Thomas  
Deceased

7th  
Female district 3  
Emerald Lonsgate  
Deceased

16 to go

* * *

**I know we've been updating really slowly but we want to give quality and that just takes time.**  
**So this was the day with the most death and also the first death of a strong competitor. How do you guys feel about Ashton being dead? **  
**I had real trouble writing this chap since I just find guys hard to write, especially the macho guy type. I hope I've accomplished to give Thane some depth so you could at least relate to his situation.**  
**I hope you are and will continue reading this cause what ever happens we will finish this SYOT! And we still have got plenty in store for this fic. :D**

**As always thank you for reading and even more thanks if you review! (That does really help us update more quickly)**

**xoxo Miss-Almond**


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